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
Mostly that has meant pretending to be a Real American by riding horses, going hunting or driving around in a pick-up to prove they aren’t some effete city slicker.
From Salon ● Nov. 23, 2025
The city slicker in the paddock wiping manure off his shoe was Mohammed “Mo” Amer, the Palestinian-Texan comedian behind Netflix‘s acclaimed comedy “Mo.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 30, 2025
He wears glasses, and when last seen was wearing a gray tweed sports coat, khaki pants, and a yellow rain slicker.
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.
