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Glite Dictionary
oil of anise

oil of anise

6.7
A strong-smelling oil from small seeds used to flavor food and soothe stomachs
  • noun
  • /ɔɪl əv ˈænɪs/
  • Specialized
translation icon : aceite de anís
  • The baker added a few drops of oil of anise to the cake batter for a unique flavor.

Examples

  • The scent of oil of anise filled the kitchen as the cookies baked.

  • Oil of anise is often used as a natural remedy for digestive discomfort.

  • I love the smell of oil of anise in the kitchen.

  • You can use oil of anise to flavor desserts.

  • The baker added a few drops of oil of anise to the cake batter for a unique flavor.

  • You can use oil of anise to flavor desserts, giving them a distinct taste.

  • The scent of oil of anise filled the kitchen as the cookies baked, creating a warm atmosphere.

Synonyms

anise oil
vsoil of anise
5.5

A strong, sweet oil from anise seeds used to flavour sweets and medicine

is more pungent in aroma and also used in aromatherapy
aniseed oil
vsoil of anise
6.1

A strong oil used to flavor food that tastes like licorice

is described as more pungent in scent rather than only strong

Surface Forms

oil of anise singular
oils of anise plural

Morphology

oil + of + anise

The meaning 'essential oil obtained from the anise plant' is directly compositional from 'oil' (a plant-derived liquid) + 'of' (indicating source) + 'anise' (the plant/seed). This source-genitive construction is common cross-linguistically and follows a standard English pattern, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents will readily infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

Oil of anise comes from the oil made from the seeds of the anise plant. The oil smells strong and liquorice-like, so the term refers to the aromatic oil used for 'flavoring' and as a natural 'remedy'.