oil English · revision 2582

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=late 12th century|origins=grc ἔλαιον}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ɔɪl/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|olie]], later oile,^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989) [[bor|xno|olie]] and [[m|fro|oile|t=oil]], modern French [[m|fr|huile]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(SOED 2002) and directly from [[la|oleum|t=oil, olive oil]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) from [[grc|ἔλαιον|tr=élaion|t=olive oil]], from [[m|grc|ἐλαία|tr=elaía|t=olive]],^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000)^(MWU 2024) the source of [[olive]].^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) Klein thinks the Greek word probably of Aegean, most likely Cretan, origin.^(Klein 1966) The French word replaced Old English [[m|ang|ele]], an earlier borrowing of the Latin word,^(Hoad 1986)^(Etymonline) and nearly all European words for oil, including German [[m|de|Öl]] and Welsh [[m|cy|olew]], come from the Greek through Latin.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Olive oil: the late 12th century,^(Etymonline) or about 1175;^(OED 1989) probably before 1200 as eoile, in the ''Ancrene Riwle''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Until about 1300 the word meant olive oil exclusively, and then was extended to any fatty, greasy liquid.^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) Holy oil for anointing is from about 1305.^(OED 1989) Lamp oil gave ''burn the midnight oil'', from the mid-17th century.^(Cresswell 2021) ''Petroleum'' is recorded as ''oil'' from the 1520s, but not commonly until the 19th century.^(Etymonline) Artists' ''oils'', short for ''oil-colour'', are from the 1660s, and ''oil painting'' by the 1690s.^(Etymonline) The verb “to anoint, smear with oil” is from the mid-15th century, later “to lubricate”.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) ''To oil someone's hand'', “to bribe”, is from 1602.^(OED 1989) ''Pour oil on troubled waters'' is by 1840, from a sailors' trick.^(Etymonline) The ''oil tanker'' is from 1900, and ''oil spill'' by 1924.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1175 – olive oil.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1300 – any oily liquid.^(Etymonline)

+ * c. 1440 – verb, to anoint, lubricate.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1520s – petroleum.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1660s – an artist's oils.^(Etymonline)

+ * mid-17th century – ''burn the midnight oil''.^(Cresswell 2021)

+ * 1840 – ''oil on troubled waters''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1900 – ''oil tanker''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Any of numerous greasy, flammable liquids, from animals, plants or minerals, that do not mix with water.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # [[petroleum|alt=Petroleum]]; a product of it, such as fuel or lubricant.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # An oil paint; a painting done in [[oil paint|alt=oil paints]].^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To lubricate, cover or polish with oil.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[oilless]]

+ * [[oillike]]

+ * [[oilbird]]

+ * [[oilcloth]]

+ * [[oiler]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[olive]]

+ * [[oleaginous]]

+ * [[petroleum]]

+ * [[linoleum]]

+ * [[olio]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}