olive

olive

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Pronunciation

Phonetic Spelling

The standard phonetic spelling for "olive" varies slightly between American and British English.

• American English (GenAm): /ˈɑ.lɪv/

• British English (RP): /ˈɒ.lɪv/

This two-syllable word is broken down as follows:

• Syllable 1 (ol-):

• /ˈɑ/ (as in "father") or /ˈɒ/ (as in "lot")

• /l/ (as in "light")

• Syllable 2 (-ive):

• /ɪ/ (as in "kit")

• /v/ (as in "vine")

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Word Form Variations

• Singular Noun: olive

• Plural Noun: olives

• Adjective: olive

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Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms

Noun

1. A small, oval-shaped fruit with bitter flesh and a hard pit, cultivated from a tree native to the Mediterranean. It is eaten cured or pressed to produce oil.

• Synonyms: (No true synonyms for the fruit itself)

• Antonyms: (None)

2. The evergreen tree (Olea europaea) that bears this fruit.

• Synonyms: olive tree

• Antonyms: (None)

3. A dull, yellowish-green color, similar to that of an unripe, green olive.

• Synonyms: olive green, drab, khaki

• Antonyms: (Opposite colors) magenta, violet, bright red

Adjective

1. Describes something that is a dull, yellowish-green color.

• Synonyms: olive-green, drab, khaki, chartreuse (though often brighter)

• Antonyms: bright, vibrant, vivid

2. Describes a moderate yellowish-brown or brownish-green skin tone.

• Synonyms: swarthy, dusky, tanned

• Antonyms: pale, fair, pallid

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Examples of Use

In Books

• As a descriptor of landscape (tree):
  "Beyond the fields, on the hills, were the grey-green olive groves. The trees were leafless and the fields were brown and dead." (Ernest Hemingway, A Farewell to Arms)

• As a common idiom (symbol):
  "In a gesture of goodwill, the new leader extended an olive branch to the opposition party, inviting them to join the talks."

• As a descriptor of appearance (color/skin tone):
  "She was a striking woman, with dark, intelligent eyes and smooth olive skin that spoke of her Mediterranean heritage."

In Newspapers

• In food and dining sections (fruit):
  "For a simple appetizer, toss the Kalamata olives with lemon zest, chili flakes, and a splash of high-quality olive oil." (The New York Times)

• In agricultural and business reporting (crop):
  "Drought and extreme heat in Spain, the world's largest producer, have decimated the olive harvest for the second year in a row, causing prices for 'liquid gold' to skyrocket." (The Guardian, September 2023)

• In fashion or style sections (color):
  "This season, military-inspired trends remain strong, with olive and khaki dominating the palettes for jackets and trousers."

In Online Publications

• In culinary magazines (fruit/oil):
  "The key to the sauce is to use a mix of Castelvetrano and Cerignola olives, giving it a buttery, complex flavor." (Bon Appétit)

• In style and fashion blogs (color):
  "The classic olive field jacket remains a staple of men's transitional outerwear, pairing easily with denim or chinos." (Esquire)

• In health and wellness articles (oil):
  "The Mediterranean diet, rich in olive oil, nuts, and fish, is linked to improved cardiovascular health and longevity."

In Entertainment Mediums

• In television (Cooking Shows):
  "Alright, first step, we're going to sauté the onions and garlic in a generous amount of good olive oil until they're fragrant and soft." (Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa)

• In film (Dialogue):
  "I'll have a vodka martini, very dry, straight up. Three olives."

• In music (Lyrics):
  "Freckles and olive skin / Straighten your hair, you’re looking thin" (Brand New, "Soco Amaretto Lime")

In General Public Discourse

• On social media (Food):
  "Just made the perfect charcuterie board! Soppressata, aged cheddar, fig jam, and a little bowl of mixed olives."

• On social media (Fashion/OOTD):
  "My #OOTD: loving this new olive utility jacket I found. Perfect for fall."

• In common conversation (Idiom):
  "After their huge argument, he was the first to extend an olive branch by sending a text."

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10 Famous Quotes Using Olive

1. And the dove came back to him in the evening, and behold, in her mouth was a freshly plucked olive leaf. (Genesis 8:11, The Bible)

2. I come bearing an olive branch in one hand, and the freedom fighter's gun in the other. (Yasser Arafat)

3. We must end our journey in content, just as an olive falls off when it is ripe. (Marcus Aurelius)

4. But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God. (Psalm 52:8, The Bible)

5. If you deconstruct Greece, you will in the end see an olive tree, a grapevine, and a boat remain. (Odysseas Elytis)

6. The olive tree is surely the richest gift of Heaven. (Thomas Jefferson)

7. The wise store up choice food and olive oil, but fools gulp theirs down. (Proverbs 21:20, The Bible)

8. I drink too much. The last time I gave a urine sample it had an olive in it. (Rodney Dangerfield)

9. For we are like olives: only when we are crushed do we yield what is best in us. (Bohumil Hrabal)

10. My chances of being PM are about as good as the chances of finding Elvis on Mars, or my being reincarnated as an olive. (Boris Johnson)

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Etymology

The word olive traveled a long and very direct path to get into the English language.

1. From French to English: We got the word "olive" from the Old French word olive, which sounds and means the same thing.

2. From Latin to French: The French got their word from the Romans, who spoke Latin. The Latin word was olīva.

3. From Greek to Latin: The Romans borrowed their word from the ancient Greeks, who called the fruit ἐλαία (elaía).

4. The Ancient Source: The Greek word itself is believed to be a "loanword," meaning the Greeks probably borrowed it from an even older, pre-Greek language spoken in the Mediterranean, where the trees were first cultivated thousands of years ago.

First Known Use and Meaning

The word "olive" first appeared in English in the 1200s. From its very first use, it meant exactly what it does today: "the fruit of the olive tree" and "the olive tree itself."

A Fun Fact: The word oil is a direct relative of olive. The Greek word for olive oil was ἔλαιον (élaion), which became the Latin word oleum. This eventually passed into English as "oil." For much of history, when people said "oil," they were referring specifically to olive oil.

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Phrases + Idioms Containing Olive

Here is a list of phrases and idioms using the word "olive" or those with a similar effect.

Phrases and Idioms Using "Olive"

• Extend an olive branch (To offer peace or reconciliation)

• Offer an olive branch (A common variation of the above)

• Olive oil (The oil extracted from the fruit)

• Olive green (A yellowish-green color)

• Olive skin (A moderate yellowish-brown skin tone)

• Olive grove (A plantation of olive trees)

• A bitter olive to swallow (An unpleasant truth to accept; a play on "a bitter pill")

• Smooth as olive oil (To be very suave, charming, or perhaps insincere)

• (To) drop the olive branch (To abandon an attempt at making peace)

Idioms with a Similar (Peace-Making) Effect

• Bury the hatchet

• Clear the air

• Let bygones be bygones

• Wave the white flag

• Make peace

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Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA

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Source Information

Definition of olive from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.

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