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olive branch

American  
[ol-iv branch] / ˈɒl ɪv ˌbræntʃ /

noun

  1. a branch of the olive tree as an emblem of peace.

    One of their national emblems is a white dove clutching the olive branch of peace.

  2. any token of peace.

    The new prime minister has pursued a reconciliation strategy, extending an olive branch to dissidents and rebel groups.

    Still in a snit, she snubbed his olive branch a few days later by blocking his phone call.
olive branch British  

noun

  1. a branch of an olive tree used to symbolize peace

  2. any offering of peace or conciliation

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
olive branch Cultural  

  1. The branch brought by a dove to Noah's ark signifying that the flood was receding.

olive branch Idioms  

  1. A symbol of peace, an offering of good will, as in They feuded for years, but finally the Hatfields came over bearing an olive branch. This term is alluded to in the Bible (Genesis 8:11), where the dove comes to Noah after the flood with an olive leaf in its mouth. [c. 1600]

Discover More

An olive branch is now regarded as a sign of peace, as is the dove. (See hawks and doves.)

Etymology

Origin of olive branch

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Analysts say that Carney's decision to put diplomatic tensions behind him and extend an olive branch to India is a pragmatic one, based on present day geopolitical shifts.

From BBC • Mar. 2, 2026

Strangely, he also wanted the track to be an olive branch to Metallica.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 20, 2026

The back features a genie’s lamp resting on an open book and a feathered quill with an olive branch in the background—symbols of peace, knowledge and learning.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 4, 2026

And an olive branch came ahead of the meeting, when Colombia abruptly agreed to accept US deportation flights on Friday.

From Barron's • Feb. 2, 2026

We all liked the eagle, but he didn’t look too peaceful until someone suggested we put an olive branch, the symbol of peace, in its claws.

From "Flying to the Moon: An Astronaut's Story" by Michael Collins

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.