According to Genesis, what did the dove bring back to Noah as the waters receded?

According to Genesis, the dove brought Noah an olive leaf as the waters receded.

Genesis 8:11 says that the dove returned in the evening with a freshly plucked olive leaf. This showed Noah that the floodwaters had diminished and that plant life was again visible on the earth.

The scene became one of the best-known images associated with the ark story. In later art and symbolism, a dove carrying an olive branch or leaf commonly represents peace, renewal, and hope. The biblical passage itself specifically mentions an olive leaf, not a branch.

The dove’s return was part of a sequence of tests. Noah first released a raven, then sent out a dove that returned because it found nowhere to rest. After another interval, he sent the dove again; when it did not return, Noah understood that the land was becoming suitable for life.