Skip to main content
Oleaceae

Oleaceae

9.9
A family of flowering plants like olive, ash, jasmine, privet, and lilac
  • noun
  • /oʊˈliː.ə.si/
  • Specialized
translation icon : Oleaceae
  • Lilacs and olives are both members of the Oleaceae.

Examples

  • Botanists study the Oleaceae to understand relationships among woody plants.

  • The Oleaceae family contains many popular ornamental and fruit-bearing plants.

  • The Oleaceae family includes many popular plants.

  • Jasmine and lilac are part of the Oleaceae family.

  • The Oleaceae family includes well-known plants such as olives and jasmine.

  • Many species in the Oleaceae family produce fragrant flowers and edible fruits.

  • The Oleaceae plants thrive in Mediterranean climates, making them popular in gardens.

Synonyms

family Oleaceae
vsOleaceae
  • Specialized
7.1

A group of trees and bushes including olive, ash, jasmine, and lilac that produce olives or small fruits

is the descriptive common name listing its member trees and shrubs
olive family
vsOleaceae
  • Specialized
5.6

A group of flowering trees and shrubs like olive, jasmine, and lilac

is the scientific family name rather than an informal name

Compounds

family Oleaceae
  • Specialized
7.1

A group of trees and bushes including olive, ash, jasmine, and lilac that produce olives or small fruits

Surface Forms

Oleaceae singular
Oleaceae plural

Morphology

Oleaceae = Olea (opaque) = olea + aceae

The name is a technical botanical formation (genus name + the suffix '-aceae') and its meaning ('the olive family') is not readily inferable by general learners unfamiliar with taxonomic suffixes.

Etymology

Oleaceae comes from the Latin name for the olive, Olea, plus the family ending -aceae that shows a group of plants. So it literally means the 'olive' family, which is why olives, lilacs, jasmine and other similar trees and shrubs are called Oleaceae.