olive

1 of 2

noun

ol·​ive ˈä-liv 

-ləv

1

a

: a Mediterranean evergreen tree (Olea europaea of the family Oleaceae, the olive family) cultivated for its drupaceous fruit that is an important food and source of oil

also : the fruit

b

: any of various shrubs and trees resembling the olive

2

: any of several colors resembling that of the unripe fruit of the olive tree that are yellowish green

3

: an oval eminence on each ventrolateral aspect of the medulla oblongata

olive

2 of 2

adjective

1

: of the color olive or olive green

2

: approaching olive in color or complexion

Examples of olive in a Sentence

Noun

a sauce made with chopped olives

Does the suit come in olive?

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Toss some diced olives or roasted red peppers in the bowl instead. —Kelsey Kunik, SELF, 6 Aug. 2025

But as with avocados or coffee beans, olive oil industry members and analysts say domestic farmers just can't grow enough olives to meet U.S. demand. —Maria Aspan, NPR, 5 Aug. 2025

Adjective

Flames and dark smoke billowed over a cement factory that was set alight by a wildfire that swept through olive groves and forests and disrupted rail traffic on the outskirts of the Greek city of Patras, west of Athens. —USA Today, 14 Aug. 2025

Workers work in a Molfetta countryside in Italy, on October 24, 2024, during the olive harvest. —Sam Meredith, CNBC, 24 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin oliva, from Greek elaia

First Known Use

Noun

1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

1657, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing olive

• olive branch
• olive drab
• olive green
• olive oil
• olive ridley
• olive tree
• Russian olive

Kids Definition

olive

noun

ol·​ive

ˈäl-iv,

-əv

1

: a Mediterranean evergreen tree grown for its fruit

also : the edible fruit of the olive tree that is the source of an oil

2

: a yellowish green

olive adjective

Medical Definition

olive

noun

ol·​ive ˈäl-iv, -əv 

1

: an Old World evergreen tree (Olea europaea of the family Oleaceae, the olive family) cultivated for its drupaceous fruit that is an important food and source of oil

also : the fruit

2

: an oval eminence on each ventrolateral aspect of the medulla oblongata that contains the inferior olive of the same side

called also olivary body