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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The air purifier has a whisper-quiet operation level and aromatherapy sponges for adding essential oils. Nora Colomer May Earn A Commission If You Buy Through Our Referral Links. This Content Was Created By A Team That Works Independently From The Fox Newsroom., FOXNews.com, 10 July 2025 This lovely scent will probably remind you of summer, with its mix of lemon, neroli, cardamom, and juniper essential oils. Daley Quinn, Glamour, 3 July 2025 The artfully natural candles are made with soy wax and essential oils like lavender and chamomile − which help people relax and feel less stressed. Dakota Barnes-Rush, jsonline.com, 3 July 2025 Countertops: For daily cleaning, spray with a homemade mix of vinegar, water, and essential oils (like lemon or tea tree). Lauren Bengtson, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 July 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 19 Jul. 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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