ESSENTIAL OIL Definition & Meaning

essential oil

noun

any of a class of volatile oils obtained from plants, possessing the odor and other characteristic properties of the plant, used chiefly in the manufacture of perfumes, flavors, and pharmaceuticals.

essential oil

noun

any of various volatile organic oils present in plants, usually containing terpenes and esters and having the odour or flavour of the plant from which they are extracted: used in flavouring and perfumery Compare fixed oil See also oleoresin

essential oil

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Any of various volatile liquids, such as rose oil or lavender oil, that have a characteristic odor and are produced by plants. Essential oils are composed primarily of terpenes and of lesser quantities of alcohols, aldehydes, esters, phenols, and other compounds that impart particular odors or flavors. They are used to make perfumes, soaps, flavorings, and other products.

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51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of essential oil¹

First recorded in 1665–75

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

There was also something both weirdly sinister and calming in how Victoria spoke while raising a bottle of essential oils to her nose — but maybe that’s just the Southern drawl at work.

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In addition to visualizing, you can plan to bring soothing aides such as fidget spinners or essential oils.

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Developed in conjunction with Hollywood Gaming, it uses bottles of essential oils to replicate a range of different aromas.

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Partly responsible for this typical smell are terpenes, a group of substances found in tree resins and essential oils.

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Faster than you could say “candy cane,” I was saturating every squirrel-trafficked inch of our backyard using a spray bottle filled with 100% peppermint essential oil.

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