Meaning & use
oilskins
Last updated
Waterproof clothing, typically a coat and trousers, made from oiled cotton fabric, worn as protection against rain or spray.
See it in a sentence
The fisherman pulled on his oilskins before heading out into the storm.
Rows of yellow oilskins hung by the boathouse door, still dripping from the morning's rain.
A note on using this word
The name comes from the fabric itself, cotton or linen treated with oil to make it water-resistant, a technique used since the 18th century by sailors and fishermen.
Words with a similar meaning
rain gearwaterproofs
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