vegetable oil

American  

noun

vegetable oils plural

1. any of a large group of oils that are esters of fatty acids and glycerol, obtained from the leaves, fruit, or seeds of plants.

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vegetable oil British  

noun

1. any of a group of oils that are esters of fatty acids and glycerol and are obtained from plants

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• vegetable oils
  plural

Etymology

Origin of vegetable oil

First recorded in 1895–1900

Example Sentences

Giada called for one 18.25-ounce box of chocolate cake mix, which was blended with raspberry puree, vegetable oil, eggs and a dash of water in a large bowl.

From Salon • Jun. 14, 2026

Higher crude oil prices amid concerns about renewed U.S. military actions against Iran and a prolonged blockade of the Strait of Hormuz likely limited the losses of the vegetable oil.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026

Imports from Malaysia amounted to $12.54 billion, mainly minerals, vegetable oil and electrical machinery and equipment.

From Barron's • Feb. 8, 2026

The bird was brought to the Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center in Huntington Beach on July 23, where staff used vegetable oil and solvents to gradually and gently remove the remaining glue.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 16, 2025

And this one had found a way of making chocolate out of sugar, chemicals, brown coloring and vegetable oil.

From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan

Related Words

• lard
• lubricant
• oil