ol|ive

ol|ive «OL ihv», noun, adjective.

–n.

1. a kind of evergreen tree with gray-green leaves. The olive grows in the southern part of Europe and in other warm regions. It is grown for its fruit and also for its wood.

2. the fruit of this tree, with a hard stone and a bitter pulp. Olives are eaten green or ripe. »

Olive oil is pressed from olives.

3. the wood of the olive tree.

4. a wreath of olive leaves; olive branch: »

I hold the olive in my hand; my words are as full of peace as matter (Shakespeare).

5. a) a yellowish green; olive green. b) a yellowish brown; olive brown.

6. a gastropod mollusk with an elongated oval shell, found in tropical seas.

–adj.

1. a) yellowish-green. b) yellowish-brown.

2. of the olive.

╂[< Old French olive, learned borrowing from Latin olīva olive]