Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “olive” come from?

Olive comes from Middle English olyve, from Old French olive, from Latin oliva, from Ancient Greek ἐλαία, from Proto-Indo-European loiu̯om.

olive (English): A tree, "Olea europaea", cultivated since ancient...

Definitions

  1. A tree, "Olea europaea", cultivated since ancient...

Ancestry of “olive”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglisholyveAn olive tree; A sprig or garland of olive,...
2Old Frencholiveolive tree; olive
3LatinOlīva—
4Ancient Greekἐλαίαolive tree; olive; naevus
5Proto-Hellenicelaíwā—
6Proto-Indo-Europeanloiwom—

Words derived from “olive”

  • olivine
  • olivaceous
  • olivewood
  • olivey
  • olivin
  • olivelike
  • olived
  • olivegrowing
  • olivinic
  • oliveness
  • oliveless
  • olivegrower
  • oliviform
  • olive oil
  • オリーブオイル
  • 올리브
  • olif
Every word from Proto-Indo-European loiwom →