oily
/ˈɔɪli/ adjective, noun
Forms oilier oiliest oilies oyly
- adjective Covered with or containing oil. “oily machinery; oily rags; oily fish; oily cooking”
- adjective Resembling oil. “oily swells; oily seas”
- adjective (figuratively) Excessively friendly or polite but insincere.
- noun A marble with an oily lustre.
- noun (in the plural, informal) Oilskins. (waterproof garment)
Synonyms
oilish oillike slick buttery smarmy greasy sebaceous oleaginous fulsome soapy unctuous
Etymology
From Middle English oylei, equivalent to oil + -y. Compare German ölig (“oily”), Swedish oljig (“oily”).
Webster’s 1913
- adjective Consisting of oil; containing oil; having the nature or qualities of oil; unctuous; oleaginous; as, oily matter or substance. Bacon.
- adjective Covered with oil; greasy; hence, resembling oil; as, an oily appearance.
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “oily”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details