essential oil

noun

: any of a class of volatile oils that give plants their characteristic odors and are used especially in perfumes and flavorings, and for aromatherapy compare fixed oil

Examples of essential oil in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Using oregano essential oil internally is not advised. —Angelica Bottaro, Verywell Health, 20 Apr. 2026

The strongest essential oils are lemon, eucalyptus, tea tree, lavender, citronella, peppermint, rosemary, and clove. —Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 18 Apr. 2026

To gain a deeper connection to the Alhambra, essential oils found within the original palace—think damask rose, yuzu and lemongrass, and amber and pine—are used through various treatments, from you-name-the-type-of massages to body treatment packages and more. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Apr. 2026

Light and lingering, the skin scent is achieved through white musk, plus a base of woody essential oils to add further complexity. —Kiana Murden, Vogue, 16 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1674, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for essential oil

• aerofoil
• cinquefoil
• hydrofoil
• quatrefoil
• airfoil
• benzoyl
• despoil
• embroil
• etoile
• gargoyle
• recoil
• subsoil

Medical Definition

essential oil

noun

: any of a large class of volatile odoriferous oils of vegetable origin that give plants their characteristic odors and often other properties, that are obtained from various parts of the plants (as flowers, leaves, or bark) by steam distillation, expression, or extraction, that are usually mixtures of compounds (as aldehydes or esters), and that are used often in the form of essences in perfumes, flavorings, and pharmaceutical preparations

called also ethereal oil, volatile oil

compare fatty oil, fixed oil