Meaning & use
grease monkey offensive
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountableoffensive
An insulting term for a mechanic, especially one who works on cars or aircraft.
Grammar: Used as a countable noun: one grease monkey, two grease monkeys.
Patterns
- call someone a grease monkey
Calling a skilled mechanic a grease monkey insults both the worker and the trade.
The word grease monkey is offensive, so it should not be used in polite or professional talk.
In old films, a grease monkey was a stock character who fixed engines.
phrasefixed phraseoffensive
A label used to warn that the term 'grease monkey' is insulting and should be avoided.
Grammar: Appears in dictionary entries and usage guides, not in ordinary sentences.
The note 'grease monkey offensive' tells readers that the word is a slur.
When a dictionary marks a term as offensive, learners should not use it about real people.
Word forms
| plural | grease monkeys |
|---|
Common combinations
- call someone a grease monkey
- He called the mechanic a grease monkey and was told to apologize.
- a grease monkey's job
- The film makes a grease monkey's job look glamorous.
- an offensive term
- Grease monkey is an offensive term, so use 'mechanic' instead.
- be called a grease monkey
- She was called a grease monkey by a rude customer.
Synonyms and how they differ
- mechanic
- This is the neutral, respectful word for the same job; use it instead of the insult.
- technician
- More formal and often suggests specialized training, especially in a garage or lab.
Commonly confused: grease monkey offensive or monkey?
grease monkey offensive vs monkey
'Monkey' alone is an animal; 'grease monkey' is a set phrase and is offensive when applied to a person.
Practice
Which sentence uses the term 'grease monkey' in the most appropriate way?
Choose one answer.
The term is offensive, so the safest use is to discuss it as a label, as in option B. Options An and C use it as a normal job title, which insults the worker, and option D treats it as an animal.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “grease monkey offensive”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.