oasis

American  

[oh-ey-sis] / oʊˈeɪ sɪs /

noun

plural

oases

1. a small fertile or green area in a desert region, usually having a spring or well.

2. something serving as a refuge, relief, or pleasant change from what is usual, annoying, difficult, etc..

   The library was an oasis of calm in the hectic city.

   Synonyms:

   shelter, retreat, harbor, haven

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oasis ¹ British  

/ əʊˈeɪsɪs /

noun

1. a fertile patch in a desert occurring where the water table approaches or reaches the ground surface

2. a place of peace, safety, or happiness in the midst of trouble or difficulty

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Oasis ² British  

/ əʊˈeɪsɪs /

noun

1. a block of light porous material, used as a base for flower arrangements

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oasis Scientific  

/ ō-ā′sĭs /

plural

oases

1. A small area in a desert that has a supply of water and is able to support vegetation. An oasis forms when groundwater lies close enough to the surface to form a spring or to be reached by wells.

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Usage

Plural word for oasis The plural form of oasis is oases, pronounced [ oh-ey-seez ]. The plurals of several other singular words that end in -is are also formed in this way, including hypothesis/hypotheses, crisis/crises, and axis/axes. A similar change is made when pluralizing appendix as appendices. Irregular plurals that are formed like oases derive directly from their original pluralization in Latin and Greek.

Other Word Forms

• oasal adjective
• oasean adjective
• oasitic adjective

Etymology

Origin of oasis

First recorded in 1605–15; from Late Latin, from Greek óasis, from Egyptian wḥʾt “oasis region”

Example Sentences

For decades, the Arab states of the Persian Gulf sold themselves as an oasis of peace in a region prone to conflict, attracting wealthy expats, multinational corporations, investment and tourism.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 2, 2026

Oleh's bakery is an oasis of order and warmth in the freezing, snow-covered ruins of an industrial area on the edge of Slovyansk.

From BBC • Feb. 24, 2026

On Tuesday, Homeboy Industries acquired the Monastery of the Angels, a hidden oasis in the Hollywood Hills where cloistered Dominican nuns lived for nearly 90 years before vacating the site in 2022.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 6, 2026

“Europe has been an oasis of predictability, not shock and awe,” says Michael Kelly, head of PineBridge Investment’s multi-asset strategy.

From Barron's • Feb. 5, 2026

As it did so, a sudden, fleeting image came to the boy: an army, with its swords at the ready, riding into the oasis.

From "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho

Related Words

• haven
• sanctuary