oasis: [17] The ultimate origins of the word oasis no doubt lie in North Africa, and although no positive link has been established, it is likely to be related in some way to Coptic ouahe. This means literally ‘dwelling area’ (it is derived from the verb ouih ‘dwell’), but since isolated fertile spots in the desert are natural centres of habitation, it is used also for ‘oasis’. The farthest back we can actually trace English oasis is, via Latin, to Greek óasis.
1610s, from French oasis (18c.) and directly from Late Latin oasis, from Greek oasis, probably from Hamitic (compare Coptic wahe, ouahe "oasis," properly "dwelling place," from ouih "dwell"). The same Egyptian source produced Arabic wahah.
