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olive oil
noun
: a pale yellow to yellowish-green nondrying oil that is obtained from olives, is high in monounsaturated fat, and is used chiefly as a salad oil and in cooking
Examples of olive oil in a Sentence
a teaspoon of olive oil
Recent Examples on the Web
Pour over another 2 tablespoons olive oil and return to the oven for another 30-40 minutes, turning the potatoes halfway, until golden and crispy.
—Hayley Maitland, Vogue, 30 Mar. 2024
Carrier oils are extracted from the fatty parts of plants, like seeds and nuts (think olives for olive oil or coconuts for coconut oil).
—Jenn Barthole, Glamour, 29 Mar. 2024
Transfer chopped garlic to a dish and cover with olive oil.
—David Tanis, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Mar. 2024
Major fast food chains are vowing to switch to only cook with olive oil.
—Hannah Yasharoff, USA TODAY, 25 Mar. 2024
It's made with olive oil or a vegetable base and is available unscented or scented.
—Caitlin Sole, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Mar. 2024
Place the salmon on the pan, rub all over with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
—Kate Bradshaw, The Mercury News, 18 Mar. 2024
Or you can be mesmerized by someone painstakingly dropping dots of olive oil into a scallop shell, around a circle of sliced live diver scallop in a deeply savory soy-lime aguachile sauce.
—Shauna Lyon, The New Yorker, 22 Mar. 2024
Use the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to grease a rimmed sheet pan.
—Sam Sifton, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'olive oil.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1566, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near olive oil
Cite this Entry
“Olive oil.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/olive%20oil. Accessed 17 Apr. 2024.
Kids Definition
olive oil
noun
: a pale yellow to yellowish green oil obtained from the pulp of olives and used especially as a salad oil, in cooking, and in soaps
Medical Definition
olive oil
noun
: a pale yellow to yellowish green edible oil obtained from the pulp of olives that is high in monounsaturated fatty acids and is used chiefly as a salad oil and in cooking, in toilet soaps, and as an emollient
More from Merriam-Webster on olive oil
Nglish: Translation of olive oil for Spanish Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about olive oil
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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