oil slick

noun

A thin film of oil floating on the surface of water, especially one that has leaked or been discharged from a ship.

“Near-synonyms: oil spot, oilpatch”

Similar
oil spotoilpatch
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Meanings

nounoil slick (plural oil slicks)

plural oil slicks

  1. A thin film of oil floating on the surface of water, especially one that has leaked or been discharged from a ship.

    Near-synonyms: oil spot, oilpatch

    Synonyms: oil spot, oilpatch

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA thin film of oil floating on the surface of water, especially one that has leaked or been discharged from a ship.

Similar
oil spotoilpatch
Also see
oilpatchoil spot

Translations

Finnish öljylautta
  • öljylauttathin film of oil floating on the surface of water
French marée noire
  • marée noirethin film of oil floating on the surface of water
German Ölspur, Ölteppich
  • Ölspurthin film of oil floating on the surface of water
  • Ölteppichthin film of oil floating on the surface of water
Portuguese maré negra
  • maré negrathin film of oil floating on the surface of water
Romanian maree neagră
  • maree neagrăthin film of oil floating on the surface of water
Spanish marea negra
  • marea negrathin film of oil floating on the surface of water
Cite this entry
APA

oil slick. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/oil%20slick

MLA

“oil slick.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/oil%20slick. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “oil slick,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/oil%20slick.

Source: oil slick on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.