greasy

[gree-see, ‑zee]

adjective

greasier, greasiest 

1. smeared, covered, or soiled with grease.

2. composed of or containing grease; oily.

   greasy food.

3. greaselike in appearance or to the touch; slippery.

4. insinuatingly unctuous in manner; repulsively slick; oily.

5. Veterinary Pathology.,  affected with grease.

greasy

/ -sɪ, ˈɡriːzɪ /

adjective

1. coated or soiled with or as if with grease

2. composed of or full of grease

3. resembling grease

4. unctuous or oily in manner

noun

1. a shearer

2. an outback cook, esp cooking for a number of men

Pronunciation Note

greasy is almost always pronounced as , with a medial , in the South Midland and Southern U.S. and as , with a medial , in New England, New York State, and the Great Lakes Basin. Speakers of New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania are divided, with some using and some using . Standard British English reflects both and pronunciations and British folk speech is also divided regionally, with heard in the eastern counties and in the central and western ones. Both pronunciations were brought to the colonies, where the present U.S. pattern emerged.

Other Word Forms

• greasily adverb
• greasiness noun
• nongreasy adjective
• overgreasiness noun
• overgreasy adjective
• ungreasy adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of greasy¹

First recorded in 1505–15

Example Sentences

In damp, greasy conditions, Britain's Russell saved his best lap for last, clocking a time of one minute 34.054 seconds to pip reigning Formula One world champion Max Verstappen of Red Bull by 0.227secs.

Read more on Barron's

I can smell Benefo’s sweat mixing with his strong, greasy cologne.

Read more on Literature

The A91 exit was said to be a long-known "greasy corner" and another driver gave evidence of starting to slide there only a few hours earlier.

Read more on BBC

Sometimes I’d eat these meals without a plate, pouring the cereal into a red plastic cup, or eating off a ripped piece of the greasy pizza box big enough to balance my extra slice.

Read more on Salon

Disabled Army veteran Micah Corpe, 50, had some choice words for Newsom outside a Twentynine Palms church that served as a polling place, calling the politician a “greasy used car salesman.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• creamy 
• fatty 
• slick