OILINESS

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does oiliness mean? 

• OILINESS (noun)
  The noun OILINESS has 2 senses:

1. consisting of or covered with oil

2. smug self-serving earnestness

  Familiarity information: OILINESS used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• OILINESS (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Consisting of or covered with oil

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

greasiness; oiliness; oleaginousness

Hypernyms ("oiliness" is a kind of...):

avoirdupois; blubber; fat; fatness (excess bodily weight)

Derivation:

oily (smeared or soiled with grease or oil)

oily (containing an unusual amount of grease or oil)

oily (coated or covered with oil)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Smug self-serving earnestness

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

fulsomeness; oiliness; oleaginousness; smarminess; unction; unctuousness

Hypernyms ("oiliness" is a kind of...):

hypocrisy (insincerity by virtue of pretending to have qualities or beliefs that you do not really have)

Derivation:

oily (unpleasantly and excessively suave or ingratiating in manner or speech)

 Context examples 

In fact, this oiliness, or greasiness, as I was later to learn, was probably the most salient expression of his personality.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)