Oleophobic

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Describing a property that prevents oils from adhering, this term applies to surfaces that discourage the attachment of oily substances
2. Denoting a resistance to the attraction of oils, this term pertains to materials that avoid absorbing greasy liquids and repel oil-based substances
3. Characterizing materials that resist the adherence of oily liquids, this term highlights surfaces that prevent oil from sticking or being absorbed

Etymology: "Oleophobic" is a compound built from two pieces that come from classical roots. The first, "oleo-", comes from Latin "oleum", meaning olive oil or oil in general, which also gave English "oil" through Old English and Latin routes. The second, "-phobic", comes from Greek "phobos", meaning fear or aversion, the same root behind "claustrophobic" and "hydrophobic." Put together, the word literally describes a surface that shrinks away from oil, the way a hydrophobic surface sheds water. The "-phobic" element is the more interesting half of the story. In chemistry and materials science, English speakers borrowed the Greek suffix to describe how substances behave toward a particular liquid, so a water-repelling coating is "hydrophobic" and an oil-repelling one is "oleophobic." The construction is deliberately parallel, which is why anyone who knows the water term can decode the oil term immediately.

Synonyms: water-repellent, hydrophobic

Antonyms: oleophilic