slicker
1 Americannoun
noun
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informal a sly or untrustworthy person (esp in the phrase city slicker )
-
a shiny raincoat, esp an oilskin
-
a small trowel used for smoothing the surfaces of a mould
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of slicker1
First recorded in 1880–85; slick + -er 1
Origin of slicker2
Explanation
A slicker is a waterproof garment you wear when it's pouring outside — in other words, a raincoat. Those dark clouds look ominous. Better grab your slicker before you go! Any kind of raincoat can be called a slicker, but it's an especially appropriate term for a waxy, smooth garment that repels drops of rain, like the yellow slickers fishermen often wear. If someone is described as a city slicker, it means that they're sophisticated, accustomed to life in the city, and that they have fancy taste — so don’t ask them to help you milk the cows on your farm.
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.
Dr. Makary is slicker than a pharmaceutical salesman.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 3, 2026
Skiers have to re-don their skis at the top for one final climb, and Fatton was much slicker than Harrop, racing away to a lead she never looked likely to relinquish.
From Barron's • Feb. 19, 2026
“Happiness is slicker, bouncier. Joy is wider, deeper.”
From Salon • Aug. 3, 2025
O'Malley was the slicker of the two on the feet, landing a variety of damaging strikes including punch combinations and a huge knee.
From BBC • Mar. 10, 2024
A cop in a rain slicker was directing traffic at the intersection.
From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt
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.
