oasis
/oʊˈeɪ.sɪs/
noun
Origin
Ancient Egyptian
wḥȝt — cauldron, oasis
Overview
Meaning Now
- A fertile spot in a desert where water is found.
- A pleasant or peaceful area or period in the midst of a difficult, troubled, or hectic place or situation.
Literal older meaning
a resting place
Language path
Ancient Egyptian → Ancient Greek → Latin → English
Earliest form
oasis
Earliest period
17th century
Journey
The term reflects the deep historical connection between the Nile Valley and the Western Desert oases of Egypt. The Egyptian word 'wḥȝt' likely referred to the specific geography of these depressions where water reached the surface.
Evolution
- Ancient Egyptian
wḥȝt
“a fertile place or district in the desert”
Original Egyptian term for an oasis.
- Ancient Greek
ὄασις (óasis)
“an oasis”
Adopted into Greek via contact with Egypt.
- Latin
oasis
“oasis”
Transliteration of the Greek term.
- English
oasis
“fertile desert area”
First recorded in English around the 17th century.
Connections
Word parts
oasis
root
an isolated fertile area
Related across languages
French
oasis
German
Oase
oasis
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Related to oasis
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.