oil
Americannoun
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any of a large class of substances typically unctuous, viscous, combustible, liquid at ordinary temperatures, and soluble in ether or alcohol but not in water: used for anointing, perfuming, lubricating, illuminating, heating, etc.
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a substance of this or similar consistency.
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refined or crude petroleum.
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Painting.
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Informal. unctuous hypocrisy; flattery.
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an oilskin garment.
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Australian and New Zealand Slang. facts or news; information.
good oil.
verb (used with object)
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to smear, lubricate, or supply with oil.
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to bribe.
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to make unctuous or smooth.
to oil his words.
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to convert into oil by melting, as butter.
adjective
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pertaining to or resembling oil.
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using oil, especially as a fuel.
an oil furnace.
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concerned with the production or use of oil.
an offshore oil rig.
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made with oil.
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obtained from oil.
idioms
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pour oil on troubled waters, to attempt to calm a difficult or tense situation, as an argument.
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strike oil,
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to discover oil, especially to bring in a well.
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to have good luck, especially financially; make an important and valuable discovery.
They struck oil only after years of market research.
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noun
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any of a number of viscous liquids with a smooth sticky feel. They are usually flammable, insoluble in water, soluble in organic solvents, and are obtained from plants and animals, from mineral deposits, and by synthesis. They are used as lubricants, fuels, perfumes, foodstuffs, and raw materials for chemicals See also essential oil fixed oil
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another name for petroleum
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( as modifier )
an oil engine
an oil rig
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Also called: lubricating oil. any of a number of substances usually derived from petroleum and used for lubrication
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( in combination )
an oilcan
an oilstone
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( as modifier )
an oil pump
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Also called: fuel oil. a petroleum product used as a fuel in domestic heating, industrial furnaces, marine engines, etc
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paraffin, esp when used as a domestic fuel
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( as modifier )
an oil lamp
an oil stove
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any substance of a consistency resembling that of oil
oil of vitriol
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the solvent, usually linseed oil, with which pigments are mixed to make artists' paints
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(often plural) oil colour or paint
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( as modifier )
an oil painting
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an oil painting
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slang facts or news
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to discover petroleum while drilling for it
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informal to become very rich or successful
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verb
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to lubricate, smear, polish, etc, with oil or an oily substance
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informal to bribe (esp in the phrase oil someone's palm )
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to make things run smoothly
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See well-oiled
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Any of a large class of viscous liquids that are typically very slippery and greasy. Oils are composed mostly of glycerides. They are flammable, do not mix with water, and include animal and vegetable fats as well as substances of mineral or synthetic origin. They are used in food, soap, and candles, and make good lubricants and fuels.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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oillessnessnoun
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reoilverb
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oil-likeadjective
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oillessadjective
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oillikeadjective
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self-oilingadjective
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unoilingadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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oilsimple
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oilssimple
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have oiledperfect
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has oiledperfect
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am oilingprogressive
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are oilingprogressive
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is oilingprogressive
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have been oilingperfect progressive
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has been oilingperfect progressive
Past
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oiledsimple
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had oiledperfect
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was oilingprogressive
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were oilingprogressive
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had been oilingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of oil
1125–75; Middle English olie, oile < Old French < Latin oleum, olīvum (olive) oil < *oleivum ( cf. Deus) < dialectal Greek *élaiwon ( Attic élaion ), derivative of *elaíwā olive
Explanation
Oil is a liquid fat or fuel. You might dress your salad with olive oil and use motor oil in your car's engine; just don't confuse the two! There's the oil you put in your car or use to oil a rusty lock — then there's the oil you heat to stir fry vegetables or whisk with vinegar to make salad dressing. Chemically, these oils have a lot in common, from their tendency to avoid water to their slipperiness to the ease with which they catch on fire. Still, you'd never want to toss a bowl of spaghetti with motor oil — stick to olive oil instead.
Vocabulary lists containing oil
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.
Sugar crops in India and Thailand could be hit by abnormal conditions, while the prospect of extreme heat in Indonesia could stress oil trees.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 3, 2026
The decline in oil prices following the Middle East ceasefire is beginning to push fuel-related prices lower, while the drag on food prices has eased as pork and vegetable prices have broadly stabilized.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 3, 2026
A decision to raise interest rates would be contentious, given the overall fragile state of the economy and the fact that falling oil prices are easing pressure on the inflation outlook.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 3, 2026
The Korean tycoon spent the sum amassing the world’s largest fleet of oil tankers just before the Iran war sent the market haywire.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 3, 2026
The stench of stale cigarette smoke and fry oil was thick in the air.
From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
