Definition

Having a lot of oil or grease; slippery and shiny.

Example

The oily surface of the pan made it difficult to cook the eggs without them sticking.

Conversation

I tried that new pizza place last night, but the crust was really oily.

Oh no, that's disappointing! I hate when that happens.

Yeah, it felt like they used way too much oil while cooking.

Sounds like a miss; I'll stick to my usual spot then.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Oily → It is formed from "oil" (from Old French *oile*, meaning a fatty substance) and the suffix "-y" (meaning characterized by). The word "oily" describes something that is characterized by or contains oil.

Memory Tip

Think of something that is 'characterized by' ('-y') a 'fatty substance' ('oil') — that's why oily means something that has oil in it.

Visually Confused Words