Bisa ga ƙamus na Turanci na Oxford, kalmar "Olmec" tana nufin memba na tsohuwar wayewar da ta bunƙasa a kudancin Mexico daga kimanin 1200 zuwa 400 BC. An san wayewar Olmec don babban gine-ginen ta, kamar manyan kawuna na dutse da aka samu a wuraren binciken kayan tarihi, da kuma zane-zane na musamman da zane-zane, waɗanda ke da tasiri mai mahimmanci akan al'adun Mesoamerican daga baya. Sunan "Olmec" ya samo asali ne daga kalmar Aztec ōlmēcatl, wanda ke nufin "mutanen roba," watakila saboda wayewar Olmec an san su don samarwa da cinikin kayan roba.