oilier; oiliest
1
: of, relating to, or consisting of oil
2
a
: covered or impregnated with oil
oily rags
b
: relatively high in naturally secreted oils
oily skin
oily hair
3
: excessively smooth or suave in manner
oilily adverb
oiliness noun

Examples of oily in a Sentence

The liquid has an oily feel. a pile of oily rags The salad dressing was very oily.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The depigmentation procedure, invented by an oily scientist, becomes extremely popular. Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Mar. 2025 Take it from someone who has bought, sold, found, cleaned, and restored some dusty, oily gems: Your records probably need a good bath. Parker Hall, WIRED, 8 Mar. 2025 As boss, Patrick Kramer eschews the oily portrayal of some to make his Franklin Hart a straight-up dolt. Matthew J. Palm, Orlando Sentinel, 7 Mar. 2025 On a related note, Apple's Midnight (black) colorway now has the same fingerprint-resistant anodization on its aluminum as the black MacBook Pro to better resist oily smudges. Joe Osborne, PCMAG, 5 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for oily

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of oily was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Oily.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oily. Accessed 17 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

oily

adjective
oilier; oiliest
1
: of, relating to, or consisting of oil
2
a
: covered or soaked with oil
b
: high in oils that are naturally produced
oily skin
oiliness noun

Medical Definition

oily

adjective
oilier; oiliest
1
: of, relating to, or consisting of oil
2
: excessively high in naturally secreted oils
oily hair
oily skin

More from Merriam-Webster on oily

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