Pepperiness : A hot prickly sensation at the back of the palate and the top of the oesophagus.

Fatty acids : The main constituent (98.5% to 99.5%) of olive oil. The fatty acids it contains are mostly mono-unsaturated and have no adverse effect on health. Fatty acids are saponifiable, i.e. they can be turned into soap by reaction with an alkali, which is how olive oil soap is made.

Acidity : Percentage of oleic acid expressed in free fatty acid. This acidity is a chemical term, and is measured using a very precise scale. The acidity of an extra virgin olive oil must be less than 0.8%.

Bordeaux spray : A copper-based mixture used to treat olive trees.

Chevalet : A broad-based, three-footed stepladder used for picking olives.

Chômage : Storage of the olives, which promotes fermentation.

Dormancy : The period in winter when the olive tree rests due to the drop in temperature.

Fruitiness : The fruitiness of an olive oil comprises all its discernable aromas of fresh olives.

Greedy : Said of a young shoot which harms neighbouring twigs by diverting sap for itself.

Grignons : The solid remains of the olives after centrifugation, and the residue of the flesh and stones after extraction.

Floral induction : The period in winter when there is stimulation of the arrival of the carbohydrates needed for flowering.

Inflorescence : The way a plant's flowers are grouped. Olive trees have inflorescences in bunches.

Lanceolate : Lance-shaped; said of olive-tree leaves.

Lipogenesis : Transformation of the sugars and acids in the olive pulp into oil.

Vegetable water : In mills which use presses, this, as well as the oil, is a product of pressing.

Setting : Transformation of the flowers into fruit.

Oléiculture : The science and technique of olive growing.

Olivades : A Provençal word for the olive harvest.

Organoleptic analysis : Sensory assessment of the oil to ascertain all of its taste characteristics.

Oxydation : Deterioration of olive oil in contact with the oxygen in air.

Comb : A harvesting tool used to detach the olives from their branches.

Polyphenols : Chemicals with anti-oxidant and preserving properties, naturally present in olive oil. The equivalent of tannins in wine, they give the oil its taste.

Pests : All the parasites of olive trees.

Véraison : The early stages of fruit maturation.