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

There are plenty of options on the market for giving your home that Christmas tree smell, from scented ornaments to candles to wall plug-ins and even essential oil diffusers. —Patricia Shannon, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Dec. 2024

Some complementary practices, like using essential oils or taking vitamin C supplements, may offer extra support. —Sarah Jividen, Health, 1 Dec. 2024

Avoid bathing your dog, if possible, because washing too often could remove essential oils. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 30 Nov. 2024

Keep your sinuses free-flowing and your home smelling like a fancy yoga studio with a cool mist humidifier that can also diffuse essential oils. —Will Porter, Architectural Digest, 29 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1674, in the meaning defined above

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