Meanings
plural oilskins
- countableuncountableCloth made from cotton and treated with oil and pigment to make it waterproof.
- countableuncountableA raincoat made from cotton fabric treated with oil and pigment to make it waterproof.
I noticed Larry to-day had on two vests, two coats, and an overcoat with his oilskin outside of that.
1914, Jack London, The Mutiny of the Elsinore, New York: The Macmillan Company, page 2301 more example
He was preparing to venture out again, when Gaskin opened a locker and brought out an oilskin. “Hit'll 'elp you keep dry, sir,” holding up the garment.
1917, Thomas Sigismund Stribling, The Cruise of the Dry Dock, The Last of the Vulcan
Synonyms & antonyms
nounFoul-weather gear worn by sailors, whether of natural or synthetic materials.
More synonyms by meaning
nouna macintosh made from cotton fabric treated with oil and pigment to make it waterproof
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
Translations
Bulgarian мушама, непромокаема тъкан
- мушама (mušama)raincoat made from treated cotton fabric
- непромокаема тъкан (nepromokaema tăkan)cloth made from cotton treated to make it waterproof
Czech voskované plátno, voskované plátno
- voskované plátnofoul-weather gear worn by sailors
- voskované plátnocloth made from cotton treated to make it waterproof
Finnish öljykangastakki, purjehdusasu
- öljykangastakkiraincoat made from treated cotton fabric
- purjehdusasufoul-weather gear worn by sailors
- öljykangascloth made from cotton treated to make it waterproof
French ciré
- ciréraincoat made from treated cotton fabric
Norwegian oljehyre, oljehyre
- oljehyreraincoat made from treated cotton fabric
- oljehyrefoul-weather gear worn by sailors
Russian дождеви́к
- дождеви́к (doždevík)raincoat made from treated cotton fabric
Scottish Gaelic oilisgin, oilisgin
- oilisginraincoat made from treated cotton fabric
- oilisginfoul-weather gear worn by sailors
- oilisgincloth made from cotton treated to make it waterproof
Spanish hule
- hulecloth made from cotton treated to make it waterproof
Swedish oljerock, oljeduk
- oljerockraincoat made from treated cotton fabric
- oljedukcloth made from cotton treated to make it waterproof
Rhymes & wordplay
Anagrams
Cite this entry
oilskin. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/oilskin
“oilskin.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/oilskin. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “oilskin,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/oilskin.
Source: oilskin on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.