oyle
Middle English
![](Images/wiktionary/Aceite_de_oliva.png.webp)
oyle
Alternative forms
- oil, oylle, olie, oli, eoli, eoyle, olige, oyll, uile, oile, oyl
Etymology
From Anglo-Norman olie and Old French oile, from Latin oleum, from Ancient Greek ἔλαιον (élaion). Compare olyve.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈui̯l(ə)/, /ˈuli(ə)/
Noun
oyle (plural oyles)
- The oil pressed from olives; olive oil:
- As used in frying things in a pan.
- As used in pharmaceuticals, medicaments, or remedies.
- As used to power lamps or flames.
- As used in cosmetics or personal grooming products.
- As used to set alight and injure enemies.
- Oil as used in spiritual contexts:
- Oil as used in religious ceremonies or events.
- Oil as a symbol of salvatory power; salvatory power.
- The oil of saints; a substance exuding from saintly relics.
- (rare) A name for Jesus.
- Any kind of oil or an oily material (liquid fat).
- Convincing or favourable words (compare Modern English butter up)
- (alchemy) An alchemical essence or extract.
Usage notes
Terms indicating the type of oil are usually formed by adding of (thing[s]) after oyle; e.g. oyle of olyves (in contrast to the usual pattern in Modern English as in olive oil).
Derived terms
- oyler
Descendants
- English: oil
- Scots: ile, uilie, ulie
References
- “oil(e (n.)” in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-09-11.