Oilskin

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈɔɪl.skɪn/

Definitions

1. A weather-resistant material coated with oil to prevent water penetration, commonly used for protective outerwear in wet or adverse conditions
2. A durable fabric infused with oil, ensuring that it repels moisture, frequently employed in creating rain gear and outdoor clothing
3. A type of fabric treated with oil to resist water, primarily utilized for producing outer garments that shield against rain and inclement weather

Etymology: Oilskin is about as literal as English compounds get: it is simply "oil" and "skin," joined together. The skin in question was once animal hide, which was rubbed with oil to make it waterproof, and the name stuck to cloth later treated the same way. The skin part of the name, in other words, outlived the skins it first described. The "oil" half points to the process rather than to any particular substance. Linseed oil was the usual choice for coating fabric, and the finished material was then used for sailors' coats, sou'westers and fishermen's gear, where it could shed rain and spray for hours. The word therefore names a mechanism, a material made impermeable by a thin oily film, and it reads plainly from its two parts.

Synonyms: waterproof fabric