grease
UK[ɡriːs]US[ɡriːs]
n
a thick, oily substance, especially one used to make machine parts move smoothly
n
animal fat that has been softened by cooking or heating
v
to put grease on something
Etymology
the word "grease" entered english in the 13th century from the old french "gresse," meaning "fat, grease." the french term itself evolved from the vulgar latin "crassia," a noun derived from the latin adjective "crassus," meaning "thick, solid, fat." this latin root provides the core semantic link, as grease is characteristically a thick, fatty substance. the journey from "crassus" to "grease" illustrates a common phonetic shift in gallo-romance languages where initial 'cr-' became 'gr-'. the meaning has remained remarkably consistent, referring to a soft, oily, or fatty material used for lubrication or derived from animal fat.
Analysis
this word is a simplex form derived from a single root. it does not lend itself to segmentation into distinct, meaningful morphemes within its modern english spelling.
Examples
the mechanic applied grease to the wheel bearings.
the pan was coated with bacon grease.
you need to grease the baking tin to prevent the cake from sticking.