Olive
A dark yellowish green, like the colour of unripe olives
Olive is a dark shade of yellowish green, matching the look of unripe or green olives. The name has been used in English since late Middle English and is known for its link to military uniforms and camouflage, especially in shades like olive drab.
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- Olive is named after the colour of unripe olives.
- First used as a colour word in late Middle English.
- Olive drab is a key colour for military uniforms.
- Olive has many variations, including olivine and black olive.
What colour is Olive?
Olive is a dark, yellowish green that closely resembles the colour of unripe or green olives. It stands apart from other greens by its muted, earthy tone, which can appear almost brownish or greyish depending on the light. This makes it distinct from brighter greens or the blue-leaning shades of teal and turquoise.
Where does Olive come from?
The word 'olive' as a colour comes from the fruit of the olive tree. It first appeared in English in the late Middle English period. The colour is named for its similarity to the green olives used in food. Over time, the term has come to cover a range of dark, muted greens.
Where Olive is used
Olive is widely used in military uniforms and equipment, especially in the form of olive drab, which serves as camouflage. It also appears in architecture, such as house facades, and in textiles for clothing and accessories. The colour is chosen for its subdued, practical appearance.
Green around the world
What the green family means from country to country.
A green kerchief is the sign of the campaign for legal abortion. Huge crowds wore it in 2018, and the movement was called the green wave.
Politics and protestHopeSource: Green scarfGreen and gold have been the official national colours since 1984 and are worn by national sports teams. They echo the leaves and flowers of the golden wattle.
Festival and celebrationPrideSource: National colours of AustraliaA Test cricketer is given a dark green cap, the baggy green, on first playing for Australia. Many players wear the same faded cap for a whole career.
Festival and celebrationPrideSource: Baggy greenThe green field of the flag stands for the land and its rice fields. Many people also read it as the youth and vigour of the country.
Nature and renewalPolitics and protestHopeSource: Flag of BangladeshThe flag is white, green and red. The green band, which took the place of the blue in the Russian flag, is read as the country's forests and farmland.
Politics and protestNature and renewalSource: Flag of BulgariaThe green field of the flag is commonly said to stand for the forests. It was first the colour of the House of Braganza, the family of the first emperor.
Politics and protestNature and renewalPrideSource: Flag of BrazilShades and relatives of Olive
There are several related shades, including olive drab, which is a dull, strong grey-green used in military contexts. Olive drab has many versions, such as OD33 and OD7, each with its own use in uniforms or equipment. Other variants include olivine, based on the mineral, and black olive, a darker tone found in colour standards.
Colours that go with Olive
Harmonies are worked out from the value #808000. Contrast ratios follow the WCAG 2 formula.
Questions people ask about Olive
What colour is olive?
Olive is a dark shade of yellowish green, similar to the colour of unripe or green olives.
Where does the name 'olive' come from?
The name comes from the olive fruit, as the colour closely matches that of green olives.
What is olive drab?
Olive drab is a dull, greyish or brownish green used mainly for military uniforms and equipment.
When did 'olive' first appear as a colour name in English?
The word 'olive' as a colour was first used in late Middle English.
Are there other shades related to olive?
Yes, related shades include olive drab, olivine, and black olive, each with its own specific tone.
Good reading and sources
- Olive (color) on WikipediaEncyclopedia
- More pictures on Wikimedia CommonsPictures
- Wikidata recordOpen data
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Olive (color)", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). Rang rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes. The swatch is an approximation: named colours are not fixed standards, and every screen shows them a little differently. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.
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