Olive Oil
/ˈɒl.ɪv ɔɪl/noun
A liquid fat obtained by pressing whole olives.
Did you know?In ancient Mediterranean religions, olive oil was used in lamps, offerings, healing preparations, and anointing rituals, linking it with purity, divine favor, and consecration.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Semitic / Ancient Mediterranean
Semitic / substrate
*zayt
“Olive; the Semitic root behind words such as Arabic zayt, later associated with oil”
Ancient Greek
Greek
ἐλαία (elaía)
“Olive tree; also associated with the olive and its fruit”
Ancient Greek
Greek
ἔλαιον (élaion)
“Olive oil, literally oil obtained from the olive”
Classical Latin
Latin
olīva / oleum
“Olive / oil; Latin forms that produced the English words olive and oil”
Old French
Old French
olive / oile
“Olive / oil, inherited and adapted from Latin”
Middle English
English
olive oile
“Oil pressed from olives; an established compound expression”
Modern English
English
olive oil
“Edible or otherwise usable oil extracted from olives”