oasis
pronunciation
How to pronounce oasis in British English:
UK [əʊˈeɪsɪs]
How to pronounce oasis in American English:
US [oʊˈeɪsɪs]
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- Noun:
- a fertile tract in a desert (where the water table approaches the surface)
- a shelter serving as a place of safety or sanctuary
Word Origin
- oasis
- oasis: [17] The ultimate origins of the word oasis no doubt lie in North Africa, and although no positive link has been established, it is likely to be related in some way to Coptic ouahe. This means literally ‘dwelling area’ (it is derived from the verb ouih ‘dwell’), but since isolated fertile spots in the desert are natural centres of habitation, it is used also for ‘oasis’. The farthest back we can actually trace English oasis is, via Latin, to Greek óasis.
- oasis (n.)
- 1610s, from French oasis (18c.) and directly from Late Latin oasis, from Greek oasis, probably from Hamitic (compare Coptic wahe, ouahe "oasis," properly "dwelling place," from ouih "dwell"). The same Egyptian source produced Arabic wahah.
Example
- 1. But tunde oyekunle 's air-conditioned office is an oasis of calm .
- 2. The elaborate plan includes creating a desert oasis along the entire stretch of the canal .
- 3. Air conditioning is eagerly sought as an oasis of cool in the sultry tropical heat .
- 4. Indeed any oasis in a desert is almost certainly the result of a fault .
- 5. They kept walking until they found an oasis where they decided to take a bath .