oasis
noun
oa·sis ō-ˈā-səs 
plural oases ō-ˈā-ˌsēz
1
: a fertile or green area in an arid region (such as a desert)
The caravan stopped to rest at an oasis.
2
: something that provides refuge, relief, or pleasant contrast
The small park is a welcome oasis amid the city's many factories.
Example Sentences
The small park is a welcome oasis amid the city's many factories. Our brief trip to the beach was a much-needed oasis in a summer of hard work.
Recent Examples on the Web This oasis is built on 40 acres, just north of Milwaukee’s city limits. 
Jeanine Barone, Chicago Tribune, 7 Sep. 2022 Private bungalows are nestled around a koi pond at this serene Encinitas oasis with a hammam, Balinese bale, and new outdoor soaking space for water rituals. Sunset Magazine, 6 Sep. 2022 In this tropical oasis designed by Kevin Isbell, the bowl of limes speaks to the real greenery as well as the floral curtains. Hadley Mendelsohn, House Beautiful, 29 June 2022 This oasis is so alluring that some rose rustlers have even been caught sneaking clippings. Mary Winston Nicklin, Washington Post, 17 June 2022 Obviously, this wintry oasis is headed for failure, functioning as a powder keg for these nefarious characters to start turning against each other. Gwen Ihnat, EW.com, 13 June 2022 Spend an afternoon gazing at over 300 species of aquatic life from around the world in this 500,000-gallon underwater oasis. Gabi De La Rosa, Chron, 8 June 2022 As night falls, the couple’s children and their friends take over this lofty oasis, with Park Avenue laid out, lights twinkling, below them. Nancy Hass, ELLE Decor, 1 June 2022 Cabins at Creekside offers a welcoming getaway in this quiet oasis with flat-screen televisions and Keurig coffeemakers. Roger Naylor, The Arizona Republic, 24 May 2022 See More
Jeanine Barone, Chicago Tribune, 7 Sep. 2022 Private bungalows are nestled around a koi pond at this serene Encinitas oasis with a hammam, Balinese bale, and new outdoor soaking space for water rituals. Sunset Magazine, 6 Sep. 2022 In this tropical oasis designed by Kevin Isbell, the bowl of limes speaks to the real greenery as well as the floral curtains. Hadley Mendelsohn, House Beautiful, 29 June 2022 This oasis is so alluring that some rose rustlers have even been caught sneaking clippings. Mary Winston Nicklin, Washington Post, 17 June 2022 Obviously, this wintry oasis is headed for failure, functioning as a powder keg for these nefarious characters to start turning against each other. Gwen Ihnat, EW.com, 13 June 2022 Spend an afternoon gazing at over 300 species of aquatic life from around the world in this 500,000-gallon underwater oasis. Gabi De La Rosa, Chron, 8 June 2022 As night falls, the couple’s children and their friends take over this lofty oasis, with Park Avenue laid out, lights twinkling, below them. Nancy Hass, ELLE Decor, 1 June 2022 Cabins at Creekside offers a welcoming getaway in this quiet oasis with flat-screen televisions and Keurig coffeemakers. Roger Naylor, The Arizona Republic, 24 May 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
borrowed from Latin Oasis, referring to the Great Oasis of Kharge in the Libyan Desert of Egypt, borrowed from Greek Óasis (Herodotus), borrowed from Egyptian wḥꜢ.t "fertile area in the desert"
First Known Use
1613, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Kids Definition
oasis
noun
oa·sis ō-ˈā-səs
plural oases
-ˌsēz
: a fertile or green spot in a desert
oases
noun
as in abodes
something that provides protection or relief from weather or outside dangers Her study was an oasis of quiet in her otherwise chaotic home. Synonyms & Similar Words
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- abodes
- sanctuaries
- refuges
- havens
- asylums
- anchorages
- shelters
- harbors
- retreats
- bolt-holes
- sanctums
- ports
- dwellings
- habitations
- residences
- hideaways
- sancta
- moorings
- lodgings
- domiciles
- quarters
- hideouts
- fortresses
- screens
- roofs
- cloisters
- houses
- lairs
- places
- dens
- harborages
- rests
- strongholds
- pads
- forts
- diggings
- hermitages
- housings
- castles
- redoubts
- lodgments
- windbreaks
- lodgements
- closets
- palisades
- covers
- coverts
- sheds
- lees
- lean-tos
- sub-rosa
- sub-Saharan
- sub-scale
- sub-scales
- sub-science
- sub-sciences
- sub-sea
- sub-secretaries
- sub-secretary
- sub-sector
- sub-sectors
- sub-segment
- sub-segments
- sub-sentence
- sub-sentences
- sub-series
- sub-site
- sub-sites
- sub-skill
- sub-skills
- sub-societies
- sub-society
- sub-specialist
- sub-specialists
- sub-specialization