essential oil

Noun

essential oil (plural essential oils)

1. A volatile oil, used to make perfumes and flavorings, especially one having the characteristic odor of the plant from which it is obtained.
   • The odours of many flowers so delightful to our sense of smell, as well as the disagreeable scents of others, are owing to the exhalation of their essential oils.1789, Erasmus Darwin, The Loves of the Plants, J. Johnson, page 102
   • The use of essential oils – aromatic substances derived from plants – has been around for centuries, and studies suggest certain oils offer minor benefits to sleep (lavender) or headaches (peppermint).2020 August 12, Adrian Horton, “The dark side of wellness: behind a Netflix series on a murky industry”, in The Guardian