Almost two years after launching our #olivejargon campaign on social media, we have now compiled more than 40 #olive-related terms. These are commonly used words in the olive industry, related to the land, the olive grove, olives themselves, their varieties, and processing methods.
“These olives are looking great!” “The harvest is here!” “We need more nets!” Expressions like these are frequently heard at our facilities, and we’ve made it our mission to compile them to raise awareness about such popular terms. Do you know any more? Share them with us! Below are some of the words we have already collected for our #olivejargon.
Acebuche: Wild olive tree. It differs from cultivated olives by its shrub-like appearance, spiny branches, rounder leaves, and smaller fruits.
Olive: The fruit of the olive tree. The term “olive” comes from the Arabic الزيتونة (zaytūnah), which passed into Hispano-Arabic as az-zaytūna, derived from the Aramaic zaytūnā.
Aranzada: A unit of agricultural land measurement that varies in size according to the region. In Córdoba, it equals 3.672 m².
Chueco: A hollow formed at the base of an olive tree’s trunk.
Endocarp: The pit or stone of the olive.
Entamado: A mix of olives of different sizes..
Entrecamada: The space between two rows of olive trees. .
Envero: The color change in some fruits, like olives, as they begin to ripen.
Esportones: Esparto baskets used for collecting olives.
FanegaAn agricultural land measurement, variable depending on the region.
Hojiblanca: An olive variety typical of central Andalusia, named after the light color of its leaves.
Hojín: A collection of dry leaves that fall from the olive tree.
Injertar: To graft, by attaching a sprout (branch with buds) from one olive tree to another to enhance its strength.
Lienzos: Woven nets placed on the ground to collect olives when they fall from the tree..
Lipogenesis: The natural process during olive ripening where oil is produced in the pulp
Manijero: The person in charge of supervising the olive harvest and hiring the harvesting crews.
Oleuropein: A bitter compound found in the pulp of olives.
Oliva: A term derived from Latin “oliva.” It is more commonly used in northern Spain, while “aceituna” (from Arabic) is the preferred term in the south.
Oliviculture: The science and techniques applied to olive tree cultivation.
Orujo: The residue from pressing olives, made up of pits and pulp skins.
Pintona: An olive that is ripening and begins changing color from green to purple.
Peana: The base of the olive tree trunk, close to the ground.
Peduncle: The stem (or “rabillo” in popular terms) of the olive.
Plantón: A young olive tree intended for transplanting.
RamónBranches resulting from the pruning of olive trees and other plants.
Ruedo: The process of flattening the ground around an olive tree to lay out nets or woven sheets for collecting olives.
Salmuera: Brine, a salt solution used for preserving olives, meats, and fish.
Salteo: Olives that fall outside the net or collection area.
Sierpes: Shoots that grow from the woody roots of the olive tree. They should be removed to maintain tree health.
Sobalas: Low branches of olive trees.
Trama: The bloom and flowers of the olive tree.
Vara: A long, sturdy stick used for shaking olive trees.
Zapatera: An olive that has lost its color and flavor.
Vecería: The alternating pattern of abundant olive harvests one year and smaller yields the next.
Verdeo: The olive harvesting activity that takes place during September, October, and part of November. These olives are suitable for curing and consumption as fruit.
