an evergreen tree, Olea europaea, of Mediterranean and other warm regions, cultivated chiefly for its fruit.
the fruit of this tree, a small oval drupe, eaten as a relish and used as a source of oil.
Also called olive wood. the wood of this tree, valued for ornamental work.
the foliage of this tree.
a wreath of it.
any of various related or similar trees.
the ocher green or dull yellow green of the unripe olive fruit.
of, relating to, or made of olives, their foliage, or their fruit.
of the color olive.
tinged with this color.
an olive complexion.
an evergreen oleaceous tree, Olea europaea, of the Mediterranean region but cultivated elsewhere, having white fragrant flowers, and edible shiny black fruits
the fruit of this plant, eaten as a relish and used as a source of olive oil
the wood of the olive tree, used for ornamental work
any of various trees or shrubs resembling the olive
a yellow-green colour
( as adjective )
an olive coat
an angler's name for the dun of various mayflies or an artificial fly in imitation of this
1150–1200; Middle English < Old French < Latin olīva, by-form of olea < dialectal Greek *elaíwa olive, olive tree; cf. oil, oleaceous
An olive is a very small fruit, although you probably think of it as a savory snack. You might find an olive on a salad, on a pizza, or even on a toothpick in your martini. Olives are so naturally bitter that they're basically inedible unless they've been treated — cured with lye or salt, and then fermented. In addition to the olives you see in jars on grocery store shelves, olive trees yield an expensive, durable wood; and of course, olive oil. You can also describe the yellowish-green color of an unripe olive as olive. And when someone offers "an olive branch," they are trying to make peace or come to an understanding.
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
While Johnson’s antiaging experiment captivated viewers, many turned skeptical of his endeavor once he began selling products, which now range from olive oil to GLP-1s.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 13, 2026
Cement, concrete, olive oil and spices are also among commodities produced in the region that use the strait as an outlet to reach the outside world.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 13, 2026
Chilled sweet peas and ribbons of summer zucchini are tossed separately with olive oil, more lemon juice and handfuls of fresh herbs.
From Salon ● Jul. 8, 2026
If you’ve found yourself dipping into the current martini craze, you may find yourself with a decent bit of olive juice leftover.
From Salon ● Jul. 7, 2026
Avery’s sitting next to Collin, who’s very cute, with longish hair, olive skin, and a dimpled smile.
From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison
A pasta PSA: After a yearslong hiatus, Olive Garden is selling 10,000 Never-Ending Pasta Passes on Thursday, entitling buyers to 13 weeks of unlimited pasta, soup, salad, and breadsticks.
From Slate ● Jul. 14, 2026
Olive crops were particularly affected, with the price of olive oil skyrocketing.
From Barron's ● Jun. 26, 2026
A key example was the partial collapse of the then-brand-new Olive View Medical Center in Sylmar, which had opened just months before the 1971 Sylmar earthquake to higher building standards; three people died.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 25, 2026
To us, Olive Garden was a step above, fancy even.
From Salon ● Jun. 3, 2026
The Olive Garden was just off the interstate, a few blocks away from every other restaurant in town.
From "We'll Fly Away" by Bryan Bliss
Add your chopped veggies, like Persian cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, pickled onions, mini sweet peppers, pepperoncini and Kalamata olives, along with washed and drained canned chickpeas.
From Salon ● Jun. 29, 2026
I sit with a small plate of snappy chorizo and olives, a vermút in hand, and let the ghosts argue around me.
From Salon ● Jun. 23, 2026
Wild king salmon topped with tomatoes, olives and capers was accessorized with a puff pastry in the shape of a cartoon fish.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 2, 2026
They had allowed her to take a tile after another player had already grabbed it—technically a no-no—but Impellizzeri, 55 and wearing pearls as big as martini olives, was having none of it.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 17, 2026
The trees were mostly stunted olives, cypress, and pines.
From "The Mark of Athena" by Rick Riordan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
