Olive (color)

Olive (color) is a dark shade of yellow typically seen in green olives. The color olive is a representation of the color of the fruit. The first recorded use of olive as a color name in English was in 1705.

Etymology and color representation

The term "olive" comes from the Latin word oliva, which was borrowed from the Greek elaiwa, meaning "olive fruit" or "olive tree". The color is associated with the natural color of the olive fruit.

The color olive is a dark yellowish-green, similar to that of green or unripe olives. As a color word in the English language, it appears in late Middle English. Shaded toward gray, it becomes olive drab.

Variations of olive

Olive drab

Olive drab is a color that is a representation of the color of cooking olives. It is commonly used in military uniforms and like the color olive, is derived from the color of the fruit.

Black olive

Black olive is a color that is a representation of the color of black olives. This color is a representation of the exterior color of ripe black olives.

Olive in culture

Olive is often used in the military and in fashion for its earthy and natural tone. It is also a common color for camouflage due to its similarity to many natural landscapes.

See also

• List of colors
• Shades of green
• Olive drab
• Black olive