An olive is a small, oval fruit that grows on olive trees in warm climates like the Mediterranean region. Fresh olives taste incredibly bitter, almost impossible to eat straight from the tree, but after being soaked in salt water or brine for weeks or months, they become the salty, savory olives you might find on pizza or in Greek salads.

Olive trees have been cultivated for over 6,000 years, making them one of humanity's oldest agricultural crops. Ancient Greeks and Romans considered them precious: they used olives for food, pressed them into olive oil for cooking and lamp fuel, and even awarded olive branch wreaths to victorious athletes. Today, countries like Spain, Italy, and Greece produce millions of tons of olives every year.

Olives come in many varieties and colors. Green olives are picked before they ripen fully, while black or purple olives stay on the tree longer. Kalamata olives are large and purplish-black. Some olives get stuffed with pimentos, garlic, or cheese.

The word olive also describes a grayish-green color, like the shade of unripe olives. An olive branch symbolizes peace, referring to the ancient story of a dove bringing an olive branch to Noah after the flood. When someone extends an olive branch, they're making a peaceful gesture to end a disagreement.