greasy
Americanadjective
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greasier,
comparative
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greasiest
superlative
adjective
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coated or soiled with or as if with grease
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composed of or full of grease
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resembling grease
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unctuous or oily in manner
noun
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a shearer
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an outback cook, esp cooking for a number of men
Pronunciation
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
Derived Forms
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greasinessnoun
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overgreasinessnoun
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nongreasyadjective
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overgreasyadjective
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ungreasyadjective
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greasilyadverb
Inflected Forms
Adjectives
Etymology
Origin of greasy
First recorded in 1505–15
Explanation
Greasy things are oily and slick, like those delicious greasy fries you eat at the state fair, and the greasy fingers you lick clean. Anything that contains or is covered with slippery fat is greasy, whether it's fried dough or a car's engine. Things that look oily, like your brother's unwashed hair, are also greasy. Both grease and greasy come from a Latin root meaning "fat." A "greasy spoon" is a small, inexpensive restaurant or diner, named for the fact that many foods in such a place tend to be fried in oil or other fats.
Vocabulary lists containing greasy
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
"The flammable substance was so greasy that I could feel it spreading across my skin," he said.
From Barron's ● Nov. 1, 2026
In decades past, some greasy label dude would probably tell them to go write a real hit next.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
Among the major problems is the lead performance of Mr. Pattinson, who gives us a greasy, erratic character bereft of the charm, smarm and rounded baritone that TV newsmen rely on.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 24, 2026
Though Tom Banton dropped a catch slipping on the greasy outfield, England's fielding was otherwise exceptional.
From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2026
It was empty, just as I’d thought, but at one of the tables near the front there was an eloquent little nest of books, wadded paper, and greasy potato-chip bags.
From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt
They were a little greasier — in a satisfying way — than the other air fryer batch, but they still tasted like an imitation of the real thing.
From Salon ● Oct. 2, 2021
To turn McDonald’s, a chain better known for supersized portions than for supercomputers, into a saltier, greasier version of Amazon.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 24, 2019
My skin is greasy – even greasier than normal – and my hair, clothes and kitchen smell of meat.
From The Guardian ● Sep. 11, 2018
But if Thanksgiving and Christmas are holidays designed for bingeing on turkey, stuffing and pies, then Super Bowl Sunday is an unofficial holiday designed for bingeing on junk, the greasier the better.
From Washington Post ● Jan. 26, 2015
I am muddier and greasier than at any other period of my existence, and gloriously happy withal.
From War Letters of a Public-School Boy by Henry Paul Mainwaring Jones
He noted that students sometimes spurn the healthy fare offered in school lunches and dash out after school to “buy the greasiest things you ever saw.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 18, 2017
“He was a great leader who always had the greasiest tepee door, because he was generous and was always feeding people,” she said.
From New York Times ● Dec. 27, 2013
Fried broccoli rabe is locked inside some of the heaviest, greasiest batter I’ve ever tasted.
From New York Times ● Jun. 4, 2013
Friday’s with the rest of the sparkly rabble and ate the world’s greasiest quesadilla while watching the merrymakers stream by on the way to the after-party.
From Salon ● Jan. 2, 2013
It’s a puzzle why we binge on the sweetest and greasiest food we can find, until we consider the eating habits of our forager forebears.
From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari
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