olive

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   The small oval fruit of this tree, eaten ripe (usually black) or unripe (usually green).

   Trevor, like an Aussie outbacker, eats snacks and a pickup meal of bread, cantaloupe, olives, mangoes, and melon.

2. 2
   noun

   A small slice of meat seasoned, rolled up, and cooked.

   a beef olive

3. 3
   adj

   Of a grayish green color, that of an unripe olive.

   Appleby[…]rose from his seat when Morales came in. He shook hands urbanely, unbuckled his sword, and laid his kepi on the table, and then sat down with an expression of concern in his olive face which Appleby fancied was assumed.

4. 4
   name

   A female given name from English.

   And hear me swear a solemn oath, / That only by thy side / Will I to Olive plight my troth, / And gain her for my bride.

5. 5
   adj

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

6. 6
   noun

   a yellow-green color of low brightness and saturation

7. 7
   noun

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

8. 8
   noun

   hard yellow often variegated wood of an olive tree

Etymology

From Middle English olyve, from Old French olive (“olive, olive tree”), from Latin olīva (“olive”), itself either from Etruscan *𐌄𐌋𐌄𐌉𐌅𐌀 (*eleiva), Pre-Classical Greek *ἐλαίϝα (*elaíwa) (compare Mycenaean Greek 𐀁𐀨𐀷 (e-ra-wa), Ancient Greek ἐλαία (elaía)), 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, l…