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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
This one is made from natural ingredients, including walnut husks, cleansing soap, and lemon essential oil.
—Leah Muncy, Architectural Digest, 20 Sep. 2024
Now legacy brands and start-ups alike are infusing things like dish soap and surface cleaner with high-end fragrances and essential oils.
—Wilder Davies, Bon Appétit, 18 Sep. 2024
Bisabolol comes from the essential oils found in chamomile plants.
—Rosanna Sutherby, Verywell Health, 11 Sep. 2024
This trendy hand sanitizer comes in mood-boosting scents made with hydrating ingredients including aloe vera and lemon essential oil.
—Addie Morton, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Sep. 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 5 Oct. 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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