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
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Natural methods like vinegar, citrus, essential oils, and diatomaceous earth can disrupt or repel ants, though frequent reapplication is needed to keep them effective. Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 25 May 2025 To extend their lifespan and keep them smelling delightful, remove perfumes and essential oils from your medicine cabinet and store them in a cool, dry place instead. Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 May 2025 Simply place a few drops of a favorite essential oil blend onto the accompanying diffuser disc, sit back, and take a deep breath of lightly scented air. Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 13 Apr. 2025 Byer has also worked in essential oil blends for more than 15 years, initially just for family and friends but soon expanding to pop-ups and craft shows. Janice Phelan, Kansas City Star, 14 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for essential oil

Word History

First Known Use

1674, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of essential oil was in 1674

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Cite this Entry

“Essential oil.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/essential%20oil. Accessed 31 May. 2025.

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 oil

More from Merriam-Webster on essential oil

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