I. ol·ive ˈälə̇v, -lēv noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English, from Old French, from Latin oliva, from (assumed) OGreek elaiwa (whence Greek elaia ), probably of non-Indo-European origin; akin to the source of Armenian euł oil
1.
a. : a plant of the genus Olea ; specifically : a tree ( Olea europaea ) cultivated for its fruit from antiquity in Asia Minor and southern Europe and more recently elsewhere and having a trunk that is often gnarled, leaves resembling the willow, and yellow flowers
b. : any of various shrubs and trees resembling the olive — compare wild olive
2. : the oblong or ovoid drupaceous fruit of the olive tree that is eaten as a pickle or relish either when unripe and green or when bluish black and ripe and that yields a valuable oil
3. : the hard yellow often attractively variegated wood of the olive tree used especially in turnery
4. : olive branch
5. : something that is shaped like an olive: as
a. : a small slice of meat seasoned, rolled up, and cooked — usually used in plural
olives of veal
b. : olivary body
6. : any of several colors resembling that of the unripe fruit of the olive tree that are yellow to yellow green in hue, of medium to low lightness, and of moderate to low saturation
7.
a. : olive shell
b. : olive fly
II. olive adjective
1. : of the color olive or olive green
2. of a complexion : approaching closer in color to olive than the average complexion
III. oli·ve ōˈlēvā noun
( plural olive or olives )
Usage: usually capitalized
Etymology: Spanish, of American Indian origin
1.
a. : an Indian people of northeastern Mexico
b. : a member of such people
2. : a language of the Olive people that is of unknown relationship