greaser

Meaning

Noun

• Someone or something that greases (applies grease).
• A mechanic.
• A biker, a tough.
• A rocker or metalhead, especially one who listens to 1950s rock and roll or 1980s thrash metal.
• A Latin American, especially a Mexican.
• An Italian.
• A Greek.

Origin

• grease + -er. Applied to mechanics because they frequently become greasy during the course of their work. Applied to toughs because they frequently greased their hair, and, like greaseball, to Italians for the same reason. Applied to Mexicans because, at the time the phrase originated, they commonly worked greasing the axles of carts.