Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “oiling” come from?

Oiling derives from the English gerund form of oil, which comes from Middle English oile, Old French oile, and Latin oleum, meaning liquid fat or oil.

oiling (English): present participle of oil; An application of oil

Definitions

  1. present participle of oil; An application of oil

Ancestry of “oiling”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishoilLiquid fat; Petroleum-based liquid used as fuel...
2Middle EnglishoyleThe oil pressed from olives; olive oil; Oil as...
3Old Frenchoileoil
4Latinoleumolive oil; the palaestra
5Ancient Greekἔλαιονolive oil, commonly used as an anointing oil; any...
6Ancient Greekἐλαίαolive tree; olive; naevus
7Proto-Hellenicelaíwā—
8Proto-Indo-Europeanloiwom—

Words derived from “oiling”

  • self-oiling
Every word from Proto-Indo-European loiwom →