橄榄石是一种镁与铁的硅酸盐，其化学式为(Mg,Fe)₂SiO₄. 它是地球地表下最常见的矿物之一，但是在地表表面上很快会风化。它还出现在部分陨石、月球、火星及一些彗星上（如维尔特二号彗星上彗发部分的尘埃，以及坦普尔一号彗星的彗核）。

橄榄石（Olivine）因颜色如橄榄（Olive）而得名，宝石级的橄榄石又称翠绿橄榄石或贵橄榄石（Peridot），这一名称直接源于法文peridot。橄榄石是镁橄榄石（Mg₂SiO₄）—铁橄榄石（Fe₂SiO₄）类质同像系列中最常见的一个成员，也是这两种端元组分形成的固溶体。橄榄石的成分经常由镁橄榄石（Fo）和铁橄榄石（Fa）这两种端元组分的摩尔百分比表示，例如Fo₇₀ Fa₃₀表示镁橄榄石端元组分占70%的橄榄石。在常压下，镁橄榄石有非常高的熔点（接近1900°C），但铁橄榄石的熔点就低了很多，只有约1200°C。熔点以及其他物理量随橄榄石的成分在镁橄榄石与铁橄榄石这两种端元组分之间连续变化。除了氧、硅、镁和铁这四种元素之外，橄榄石只含有很少量的其他元素，常见如锰和镍。

The mineral olivine is a magnesium iron silicate with the formula (Mg, Fe)₂SiO₄. Thus it is a type of nesosilicate or orthosilicate. It is a common mineral in the Earth's subsurface but weathers quickly on the surface.

The ratio of magnesium and iron varies between the two endmembers of the solid solution series: forsterite (Mg-endmember: Mg₂SiO₄) and fayalite (Fe-endmember: Fe₂SiO₄). Compositions of olivine are commonly expressed as molar percentages of forsterite (Fo) and fayalite (Fa) (e.g., Fo₇₀Fa₃₀). Forsterite has an unusually high melting temperature at atmospheric pressure, almost 1,900 °C (3,450 °F), but the melting temperature of fayalite is much lower (about 1,200 °C [2,190 °F]). The melting temperature varies smoothly between the two endmembers, as do other properties. Olivine incorporates only minor amounts of elements other than oxygen, silicon, magnesium and iron. Manganese and nickel commonly are the additional elements present in highest concentrations.