Oil

Part of speech: noun, verb

Pronunciation: /ɔɪl/

Definitions

1. A thick liquid extracted from beneath the earth's surface or from plants, used as fuel, lubricant, or in cooking
2. A viscous substance derived from natural sources, utilized for fueling, cooking, or lubrication purposes
3. A greasy liquid sourced from geological formations or organic matter, often employed in transportation, food preparation, or machinery maintenance

Etymology: Olive oil gave English its word for oil in general. The Ancient Greek "élaion" meant specifically the oil pressed from olives, and it passed into Latin as "oleum," which kept the same sense of olive oil. Old French then wrote it as "oile," and Middle English borrowed that form as "oyle," still meaning olive oil before the term broadened to cover oils from other plants and animals. The Greek noun itself came from "elaía," the olive tree, so the word's first meaning was a fruit's product rather than a substance in general. English already had its own word, "ele," from Old English and also from Latin, and the French-derived form eventually displaced it. The older native word for oil and ointment, "smireness," was lost entirely. The verb "oil," meaning to apply oil or lubricate, comes from the noun and is recorded in Middle English as "oylen."

Synonyms: petroleum, grease, lubricant, extract, fluid

Antonyms: water, dryness