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aceituna

olive

noun ah-say-TOO-nah Rare
Food & Drink Ingredients

Origin: From Arabic 'az-zaytuna' (the olive), reflecting Moorish influence on Spanish agriculture.

Usage Note

Aceituna is the standard word for a table olive (the fruit as eaten). The olive tree is olivo and olive oil is aceite de oliva. Both aceituna and aceite derive from Arabic az-zayt (oil), a legacy of eight centuries of Moorish presence in Iberia. In recipes and agriculture the word oliva is also used for the fruit, but aceituna dominates in everyday culinary contexts in Spain.

Examples

"Pidió una ración de aceitunas con anchoas."

Natural Translation

She ordered a serving of olives with anchovies.

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