oil slick

noun

1. a smooth area on the surface of water caused by the presence of oil.

oil slick

noun

1. a mass of floating oil covering an area of water, esp oil that has leaked or been discharged from a ship

Word History and Origins

Origin of oil slick¹

First recorded in 1885–90

Example Sentences

You want crunch and savor, not oil slick.

From Salon

"As the oil slick can reach anywhere along the Kerala coast, an alert has been sounded across the coastal belt," a statement from the chief minister's office said.

From BBC

A boom helps contain the worst of the oil slick, which has stained 30 miles of coastline.

From Los Angeles Times

Wandering the beach at sunrise, they discover an oil slick studded with penguin carcasses.

From Los Angeles Times

The coast guard has detected an oil slick stretching to about four kilometres, describing it as "enormous".

From BBC