oily

American  

[oi-lee] / ˈɔɪ li /

adjective

oilier, oiliest

1. smeared or covered with oil; greasy.

   an oily road surface.

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

3. of or relating to oil.

4. full of or containing oil.

5. smooth or unctuous, as in manner or speech.

   an oily hypocrite.

   Synonyms:

   smarmy

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adverb

1. in an oily manner.

oily British  

/ ˈɔɪlɪ /

adjective

1. soaked in or smeared with oil or grease

2. consisting of, containing, or resembling oil

3. flatteringly servile or obsequious

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Other Word Forms

• nonoily adjective
• oilily adverb
• oiliness noun
• unoily adjective

Etymology

Origin of oily

First recorded in 1520–30; oil + -y ¹

Example Sentences

They expect to begin reporting recovery totals Thursday morning, though those numbers will likely reflect an “oily water mixture,” not pure crude.

From Los Angeles Times

Walker agrees and likens it to the fact you can't remove an oily or dirty mark from clothes with just water, you need detergent too.

From BBC

When I hear the door close from their exit, I peel myself up from the warm table and marvel at the oily outline my body has left on the sheet.

From Los Angeles Times

It comes with two dressings, but I usually just do the sort of lemony kind of oily dressing.

From Los Angeles Times

Great British Chefs specified that tonka’s “most distinctive feature” is their “enormous potency — heady vanilla flavours, with oily clove aromas, and perfumed magnolia, sandalwood notes.”

From Salon

Related Words

• buttery
• creamy
• oiled
• slippery
• waxy