olive

plural olives

1. A tree of species Olea europaea cultivated since ancient times in the Mediterranean for its fruit and the oil obtained from it.
2. 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.

   2010, Mary Ellen Snodgrass, Peter Carey: A Literary Companion, page 100

3. The wood of the olive tree.
4. A dark yellowish-green color, that of an unripe olive.
5. anatomyAn olivary body, part of the medulla oblongata.
6. A component of a plumbing compression joint; a ring which is placed between the nut and the pipe and compressed during fastening to provide a seal.
7. cookingA small slice of meat seasoned, rolled up, and cooked.

   a beef olive

   1 more example

   olives of veal

8. Any shell of the genus Oliva and allied genera; so called from the shape.
9. UKdialectalAn oystercatcher, a shore bird of genus Haematopus.

comparative more olive · superlative most olive

1. 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.

   1907 January, Harold Bindloss, chapter 22, in The Dust of Conflict, 1st Canadian edition, Toronto, Ont.: McLeod & Allen, →OCLC

   1 more example

   The “little green men”—faces covered, wearing unmarked olive uniforms, speaking Russian and using Russian weapons—have played a significant role in both the occupation of Crimea and the civil war in eastern Ukraine.¹⁹⁶

   2015, Shane R. Reeves, David Wallace, “The Combatant Status of the “Little Green Men” and Other Participants in the Ukraine Conflict”, in International Law Studies, US Naval War College, volume 91, number 361, Stockton Center for the Study of International Law, page 393

1. 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.

   1842, Alfred Tennyson, The Talking Oak

   2 more examples

   "Elspie, I have a thought! The baby shall be christened Olive!" "It's a strange, heathen name, Mrs. Rothesay." "Not at all. Listen how I chanced to think of it. This very morning, just before you came to waken me, I had such a queer, delicious dream. [ - - - ] Then I looked up, after awhile, and saw standing at the foot of the bed a little angel—a child-angel—with a green olive-branch in its hand. [ - - - ] "

   1850, Dinah Craik, Olive, Chapman and Hall, page 26

   There was Olive, a soft drowsy girl who didn't like me because I called her Olive Oyl. Even after I was made to apologize she didn't like me.

   2006, Alice Munro, The View from Castle Rock, Chatto & Windus, →ISBN, pages 227–228

2. A surname.
3. rareA male given name from English.
4. A number of places in the United States:
   1. A community in the city of Orange, Orange County, California.
   2. A township and unincorporated community therein, in St. Joseph County, Indiana.
   3. An unincorporated community in Dallas County, Missouri, named after a Baptist church.
   4. An unincorporated community in Powder River County, Montana.
   5. A town in Ulster County, New York, from the bible story of dove and olive branch.
   6. An unincorporated community in Creek County, Oklahoma, from the girl's name.
   7. An unincorporated community in Spotsylvania County, Virginia.
   8. An unincorporated community in Pocahontas County, West Virginia.
   9. A number of townships in the United States, listed under Olive Township.