Definition:
Oasis: A lush green area in the midst of a desert, centered around a natural spring or a well.
Many of the major cities of the Silk Road sprang up around oases, such as Samarkand, Merv, and Yarkand.
The term "oasis" comes from the Egyptian word wh't, which became the Coptic ouahe, and then the Greek oasis. Some scholars believe that the Greek historian Herodotus was the first to borrow this word from Egypt.
Pronunciation: "oh-A-sis"
Examples:
"As soon as the camels picked up the first scent of the green oasis ahead, they perked up their ears and began to trot."
