What does degrease mean?
To degrease is to remove grease, oil, or other fatty residues from a surface, object, or substance, usually in preparation for some subsequent process. The verb appears most often in technical and industrial settings — mechanics degrease engine parts before repair, manufacturers degrease metal components before painting or coating, and machinists degrease workpieces to ensure accuracy — but it also has everyday culinary use, as when a cook skims or drains fat from a pan or broth. Degreasing is typically accomplished with solvents, detergents, steam, or abrasive cleaning, and the thoroughness of the process matters: residual grease can prevent paint from adhering, compromise welds, or spoil the texture of food. Related forms include the noun 'degreaser', referring both to a person who performs this task and to the chemical agent used for it. The word carries no emotional connotation; it is purely descriptive and functional, valued for its precision in describing a specific kind of cleaning that ordinary words like 'wash' do not quite capture.
verbTo remove grease, oil, or fatty residue from a surface or object, typically using a solvent, detergent, or mechanical cleaning process.
- To remove grease, oil, or fat from a surface, object, or material, especially in preparation for further treatment such as painting, machining, or cooking.
"You must degrease the engine block before applying the new paint."
"Before welding the joint, be sure to degrease both surfaces to prevent contamination."
"The mechanic degreased the bicycle chain and re-lubricated it with fresh oil."
"Chefs often degrease a pan with hot water before adding new ingredients to avoid burning old fats."
Every coat of flawless paint you've ever admired on a car or machine started life as an invisible job: someone had to degrease the surface first, or the paint would have peeled right off.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of degrease
The word 'degrease' is formed by combining the prefix 'de-', indicating removal or reversal (from Latin), with 'grease', a Middle English noun derived from Old French 'graisse', which itself comes from Vulgar Latin '*crassia', from Latin 'crassus' meaning thick or coarse. As a compound formation, it emerged in English alongside many other 'de-' verbs describing removal processes, becoming well established during the industrial era when systematic cleaning of machinery and materials became routine practice.
Related word forms
How degrease is actually used
'Degrease' is primarily used in technical, industrial, mechanical, and culinary contexts. It is a neutral, practical verb with no strong connotations of praise or criticism. It is common in British and American English alike.
Easily confused with degrease
Despite similar spelling, 'disgrace' means loss of honour or reputation, whereas 'degrease' means removing oil or grease from something.