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olive

UK/ˈɒ.lɪv/ US/ˈɑ.lɪv/ fairly common uk
adjective (1) noun (5)

adjective

1.

of a yellow-green color similar to that of an unripe olive

Similar

noun

1.
2.
3.
4.

one-seeded fruit of the European olive tree usually pickled and used as a relish

5.

Origin

From Middle English olyve, from Old French olive (“olive, olive tree”), from Latin olīva (“olive”), itself from either Etruscan *𐌄𐌋𐌄𐌉𐌅𐌀 (*eleiva), Proto-Hellenic *elaíwā (compare Mycenaean Greek 𐀁𐀨𐀷 (e-ra-wa), Ancient Greek ἐλαίᾱ (elaíā)), or the same source as those two. In any case, ultimately from a Mediterranean Pre-Greek source, possibly Proto-Berber *wlw (“wild olive”). More questionably, maybe from Proto-Indo-European *loiwom (compare Old Church Slavonic лои (loi, “tallow”), Old Armenian եւղ (ewł, “oil”)). Doublet of oliva and oil. Displaced native Old English eleberġe, literally "oil berry."

Phrases

  • autumn olive
  • beef olive
  • black olive
  • Bohemian olive
  • Chinese olive
  • dwarf olive
  • first olive out of the bottle
  • first olive out of the jar

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WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.