Question What is the difference between oily and greasy???

Hi.

I'm confused.

I've read this expression "oily but not greasy" X times in many novels and always I was wondering what was its meaning.

And by the way, I'm not a english native so forgive my poor grammar.

Okay, I'm reading a food-based novel so you can imagine the abondance of related-food expressions (which is perfectly normal) such as:
- Crunchy and tender
- Cold / light and refreshing
- AND THAT MOTHERF*CKING OILY BUT NOT GREASY!!!!!

What the hell do you mean by oily bit not greasy? Isn't an oily dish consequently greasy ?
Oil -> fat -> greasy -> lipids right???
Oily and greasy are synonym in my langage (in french, huileux or gras) so I really don't understand why those two words which mean the same (for me) are used as antonyms or in a opposition.

Please correct me if I'm wrong. Don't they have the same meaning in the original langage and in english too? If not, why? I might give up to my novel just because of my frustration and we (I) don't that.

Thank you.

 

That's my own interpretation, but greasy is negative and oily is more positive.
When the food is greasy, I feel like I bite a chunk of fat off.
If the food is oily, there is only a thin layer of fat there, it is not overwhelming.

Thus:
greasy=thick layer of fat
Oily= thin layer of fat

 

Personally, I think it's the amount of oil in the food. When the food has a thin sheen of oil, it's oily. But when it is dripping with oil I would call it greasy. Also something hot and covered in melted fat like a burger. I'm basing that on my own speech though, not any sort of dictionary.

 

This is oily.

This is greasy.

In most cases of food, I see the word oily used if oil was used to make that food. Greasy usually means that there is an excessive amount of oil in that food. Like it is literally dripping with oil. Not exactly what most will consider tasty.

Greasy usually has a negative meaning while oily is a bit more neutral.

 

"Oily but not greasy" means it's a lighter type of oily. In English, they have a similar meaning, but in context grease usually means a heavier fat. Think of Deep-fried foods vs. say, pesto. Pesto is rarely called greasy (unless it's made wrong), so a sandwich might be "oily but not greasy".

Basically, when they say greasy, they mean a heavy, less-appetizing type of oily. It's not usually used in a good way.

 

For me, oily and greasy are basically two different levels. Greasy is usually the negative version of oily. Oily indicates that there is oil/fat but not an unhealthy level basically a balance between not enough and too much. Greasy on the other hand indicates that there is too much oil usually that the food is dripping with oil like if you were to point a pizza slice down the oil would be dripping off.

 

Isn’t pizza supposed to be greasy? It’s not very good when it’s not, although even pizza can be too greasy...

 

It really depends by context really but the general meaning is that it doesn't make you sick from eating it. The oily part can be used to describe the presence of oil or a smooth mouth feel achieved by oil/butter. Greasy food doesn't always make you sick, but the letter used in the phrase is the word for getting sick of or from something. Maybe "just the right amount of oil" is a better translation.

 

Thanks for your answers.
In summary, oily is employed for light amount of fat and greasy, heavy amount of fat.

One is used for a more positive aspect of the food and the other a negative.

So a raclette will be greasy not oily.

Okay, got it.

Thank you very much, I feel enlightened.

 

Think of it like this:
olive/sunflower/peanut oil = oily
lard = greasy

 

oily but not to the point that you feel sick

 

All the people saying oily is positive and greasy is negative are simply incorrect. Oily is a matter of taste while greasy describes texture. Often, they are synonymous. But not always.

Here's a quick example. Toss a piece of bread into a vat of oil and deep-fry it. When you pull it out, it will ooze oil. This is oily. But if you bite or touch it, it will feel hard and crunchy. This is not greasy.

Now, on another note, most people like the taste of oil. It's full of fat. But others can't stand it because it is overwhelming and unhealthy. If I call a food oily, I am usually complaining, not praising it. So as with every other adjective, "oily" is not inherently positive.

PS: There is a phrase "greasy food". This is a different type of greasy. It relates to healthiness and should be interpreted vaguely. I recommend ignoring this aspect of the word.

 

except with pizza! Pepperoni pizza is great

 

Oily is connotatively neutral whereas Greasy has an inherent negative modifier attached to the term.
Something that is greasy is oily
Something that is oily is not necessarily greasy

 

Grease is animal fat
Oil, is from other sources, vegetable mineral etc.

but on food, not sure, is something about taste. soft and heavy

 

For me oily means its more liquidy compared to the the more viscous greasy texture