oily

[ oi-lee ]

/ ˈɔɪ li /

adjective, oil·i·er, oil·i·est.

smeared or covered with oil; greasy: an oily road surface.

of the nature of, consisting of, or resembling oil.

of or relating to oil.

full of or containing oil.

smooth or unctuous, as in manner or speech: an oily hypocrite.

adverb

in an oily manner.

Words nearby oily

oilseed, oilskin, oilspot glaze, oilstone, oiltight, oily, oink, oinochoe, ointment, oir, oireachtas

Origin of oily

First recorded in 1520–30; oil + -y¹

SYNONYMS FOR oily

5 fawning, smarmy, bootlicking.

OTHER WORDS FROM oily

oil·i·ness, nounnon·oil·y, adjectiveun·oil·y, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for oiliness

His manner was cordial to the point of oiliness, yet cold and insincere.
I Walked in Arden|Jack Crawford
"That tail," spoke Mr. Marrapit, a sinister hardness now behind the oiliness.
Once Aboard The Lugger|Arthur Stuart-Menteth Hutchinson
In attempting smoothness he fell into oiliness; where he aimed at polished brilliance, the result was blazing varnish.
Quisant|Anthony Hope
Very refreshing in warm weather and an excellent remedy for oiliness of the skin.
The Golden Age Cook Book|Henrietta Latham Dwight

And as he gradually began to lose fat, and to dwell upon gunnery, we found his oiliness most useful to prevent corrosion.
The Maid of Sker|Richard Doddridge Blackmore

British Dictionary definitions for oiliness

oily

/ (ˈɔɪlɪ) /

adjective oilier or oiliest

soaked in or smeared with oil or grease

consisting of, containing, or resembling oil

flatteringly servile or obsequious

Derived forms of oily

oilily, adverboiliness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012