The meaning of OILY is of, relating to, or consisting of oil. How to use oily in a sentence.

oily adjective (FUEL) covered in or containing a lot of oil: an oily rag (Definition of oily from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

oily adjective 1. greasy, slick, slimy, fatty, slippery, oleaginous, smeary traces of an oily substance

OILY meaning: 1 : having the smooth or greasy quality of oil; 2 : covered or soaked with oil

Definition of oily adjective in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

Dec 14, 2025 · oily (comparative oilier, superlative oiliest) Covered with or containing oil. quotations oily machinery; oily rags; oily fish; oily cooking

There are five meanings listed in OED's entry for the word oily, one of which is labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

oil•y (oi′ lē), adj., oil•i•er, oil•i•est, adv. adj. Chemistry smeared or covered with oil; greasy: an oily road surface. Chemistry of the nature of, consisting of, or resembling oil. Chemistry of or …

If you describe someone as oily, you dislike them because you think they are too polite or say exaggeratedly nice things, and are insincere.

Oily things are greasy, slippery, or covered with oil — think a bowl of oily pasta or the oily garage floor after you've been tinkering with your motorcycle's engine.