vegetable oil

noun

: an oil of plant origin
especially : a fatty oil from seeds or fruits

Examples of vegetable oil in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Remove foil, then coat foil with nonstick vegetable oil spray and set aside. — Alton Brown, Bon Appetit Magazine, 23 Oct. 2026 The column also notes that California’s diesel supply is largely renewable diesel made from vegetable oils and animal fats, complicating the case that more crude oil would quickly ease prices. — Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026 Traditionally, the Cuban government bought staples like chicken, vegetable oil, rice, soy and corn from the United States, along with many other products. — Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 12 Oct. 2026 What’s Happening Home cooks and professional chefs are increasingly reaching for beef tallow in place of butter, vegetable oil and shortening. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Charlotte Observer, 12 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for vegetable oil

Word History

First Known Use

1765, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of vegetable oil was in 1765

Rhymes for vegetable oil

See All Rhymes for vegetable oil

Browse Nearby Words

vegetable mold
vegetable oil
vegetable orange
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Vegetable oil.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vegetable%20oil. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

vegetable oil

noun
: an oil obtained from plant parts and especially from seeds or fruits

Medical Definition

vegetable oil

noun
: an oil of plant origin
especially : a fatty oil from seeds or fruits

More from Merriam-Webster on vegetable oil

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about vegetable oil

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of milieu

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All