Where does “oil” come from?
Oil comes from Middle English oile, from Old French oile, from Latin oleum, meaning olive oil or any unctuous liquid.
oil (English): Liquid fat; Petroleum-based liquid used as fuel...
Definitions
- Liquid fat; Petroleum-based liquid used as fuel...
Ancestry of “oil”, step by step
oil traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English oyle
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | oyle | The oil pressed from olives; olive oil; Oil as... |
| 2 | Old French | oile | oil |
| 3 | Latin | oleum | olive oil; the palaestra |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | ἔλαιον | olive oil, commonly used as an anointing oil; any... |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | ἐλαία | olive tree; olive; naevus |
| 6 | Proto-Hellenic | elaíwā | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | loiwom | — |
via Indonesian Oil
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Indonesian | Oil | — |