oiler

noun

oil·​er ˈȯi-lər 

1

: a person who oils something

2

: a receptacle or device for applying oil

3

oilers plural : oilskin sense 3

4

: an auxiliary naval vessel used for refueling at sea

Examples of oiler in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Harvey Milk was California's first openly gay politician and the ship, a fleet replenishment oiler, was originally named in his honor in 2016 under the Obama Administration. —Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 June 2025

Last week, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered the secretary of the Navy to rename the oiler ship USNS Harvey Milk, which had honored the gay rights activist and Navy veteran who was assassinated in 1978. —Jade Walker, CNN Money, 11 June 2025

Main: Civil Service Mariners aboard Military Sealift Command’s fleet replenishment oiler USNS Harvey Milk, Norfolk Virginia, September 2024. —Sophie Clark, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 June 2025

Now, Hegseth has reportedly approved the renaming of the USNS Harvey Milk, a fleet replacement oiler that was named in 2016 after the former Navy lieutenant and gay-rights leader who was assassinated in 1978. —John Fund, National Review, 4 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1846, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for oiler

• boiler
• broiler
• spoiler
• toiler
• reboiler

Kids Definition

oiler

noun

oil·​er ˈȯi-lər 

1

: a person (as a worker) who oils something

2

: a device for applying oil