olive skinned?

Question

Is this so called with reference to the colour of actual olives or is it just the same word used for another meaning of dark skinned? me and my mate are having an argument about it...yeh i know we need to get out more..

i know it means dark skin i just want to know if its called this because of the colouring of actual olives???

Answer 1

I am white but my complexion stays tanned year around and they call it olive skinned.

Answer 2

Olive skin is not another word for dark skin, you can call many Italian people olive coloured, as well as some asian people. It is darker than white, but lighter than dark

Answer 3

Olive-skinned is a darker Caucasian color. It is usually found in the Mediterranean and Middle East areas. I believe it is actually in reference to the color of olive oil. In ancient times, people would apply olive oil to their skin for various reasons.

Get some olive oil and rub it on someone who is kind of light and you will see.

Answer 4

Olives may have come into it originally, but these days it's just another reference to darker than lilly-white skin - same as dusky I suppose.

Answer 5

mixed race... hah. im part greek, we have a swarthy complexion, and teh women have beautiful tanned skin... and dark eyes... my daughters have the dark eyes and olive skin... they look stunning.

Answer 6

im sure its to do with mediterranean reference, where the olive tree is native or something!

Answer 7

to me, olive skinned is a person of mixed race, or someone from china/japan, their tone of skin is a georgous colour

Answer 8

popeye will be outraged!