oil spill

noun

1. an accidental release of oil into a body of water, as from a tanker, offshore drilling rig, or underwater pipeline, often presenting a hazard to marine life and the environment.

Word History and Origins

Origin of oil spill¹

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

Plans to restart a pipeline in Santa Barbara County have angered residents worried about an oil spill similar to the massive one near Refugio State Beach in 2015.

From Los Angeles Times

But further testing found the material is unlikely to have originated solely from an oil spill or waste from a ship, as some had thought.

From BBC

Plans to restart a pipeline in Santa Barbara County have angered residents worried about an oil spill similar to the massive one near Refugio State Beach in 2015.

From Los Angeles Times

Plans to restart a pipeline in Santa Barbara County have angered residents worried about an oil spill similar to the massive one near Refugio State Beach in 2015.

From Los Angeles Times

Plans to restart a pipeline in Santa Barbara County have angered residents worried about an oil spill similar to the massive one near Refugio State Beach in 2015.

From Los Angeles Times