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essential oil
noun
: any of a class of volatile oils that give plants their characteristic odors and are used especially in perfumes and flavorings, and for aromatherapy compare fixed oil
Examples of essential oil in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Per launch intel, Hadid’s love affair with fragrances began creating her own essential oil blends, growing lavender and distilling oils on her family farm.
—Chris Gardner, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 May 2024
Dr Teal's Shea Sugar Body Scrub $23.99, $20.94 Dr Teal's Shea Sugar Body Scrub is formulated with shea butter, sugar, and essential oils to exfoliate and smooth skin.
—Nora Colomer, Fox News, 17 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for essential oil
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'essential oil.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1674, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near essential oil
Cite this Entry
“Essential oil.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/essential%20oil. Accessed 1 Jun. 2024.
Medical Definition
essential oil
noun
: any of a large class of volatile odoriferous oils of vegetable origin that give plants their characteristic odors and often other properties, that are obtained from various parts of the plants (as flowers, leaves, or bark) by steam distillation, expression, or extraction, that are usually mixtures of compounds (as aldehydes or esters), and that are used often in the form of essences in perfumes, flavorings, and pharmaceutical preparations
called also ethereal oil, volatile oil
compare fatty oil, fixed oilMore from Merriam-Webster on essential oil
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about essential oil
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