unctuous

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unctuous

/ˈʌŋ(k)t͡ʃʊəs/ UK
/-tjʊəs/ UK
/ˈʌŋ(k)(t)ʃəwəs/ US
/ˈʌŋ(k)(t)ʃəs/ US

Where it comes from

From Late Middle English unctuous [and other forms], borrowed from Medieval Latin ūnctuōsus (“greasy, oily, unctuous”), from Latin ūnctum (“ointment; rich banquet; rich savoury dish”) + -ōsus (suffix meaning ‘full of; overly’ forming adjectives from nouns). Ūnctum is a noun use of the perfect passive participle of unguō (“to anoint; to smear with oil, to grease or oil”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₃engʷ- (“to anoint; to smear”).

Cognates

* Italian untuoso

* Old French onctües, unctueus, unctuose (modern French onctueux)

* Portuguese unctuoso

* Spanish untuoso

adjective more unctuous · most unctuous

of a liquid Having the nature or properties of an unguent or ointment; greasy, oily. It is, of the one part, / A humide exhalation, vvhich vve call / Materia liquida, or the Vnctuous VVater; […]
Similar: mellowy, oleaginous, saponaceous, slaistery, slimy, smarmy, unctious, unctuose, unguinous · Opposite: ununctuous
Having fat or oil present; fatty, greasy, oily. Meates fatte and vnctuouſe, nouryſheth, and maketh ſoluble.
Of an aroma or taste, or a beverage (such as coffee or wine) or food (such as gravy, meat, or sauce): having layers of concentrated, velvety flavour; lush, rich. Again, Taſts may properly be ſaid, to be Soft or Hard. A Soft Taſte, is either Vapid, as in VVatery Bodies, VVhites of Eggs, Starch, Fine Boles, &c. Or Unctuous, as in Oyls, Fat, &c. […] Contrary to an Unctuous Taſte, are Aſtringent, and Pungent; as in Galls, and Spirit of Sal Aromanick.
Similar: savorous
Of soil: soft and sticky. Furthermore, good and excellent Earth ſhould be of the ſame conſtitution, and not of contrary, as ſoft and hard; churliſh and mild; moiſt and dry; not too unctuous nor too lean, but reſoluble, and of a juſt and procreative temper, combining into a light, and eaſily crumbling Mould; […]
figuratively Complacent, self-satisfied, smug.
figuratively Profusely polite, especially in an insincere and unpleasant manner. "No bankers' books, or cheque books, or bill, or such tokens of wealth rolling in from day to day?" said old Sol, looking wistfully at his nephew out of the fog that always seemed to hang about him, and laying an unctuous emphasis upon the words.
Similar: greasy, oily, oleaginous, slimy, smarmy, asslicky, fawning, groveling, ingratiating, obsequious, schmoozy, self-abasing

Thesaurus

adjective

Translations

Every language

adj of a liquid, etc.: having the nature or properties of an unguent or ointment — see also oily, greasy

Español	untuoso
Português	untuoso
Français	onctueux
Deutsch	ölig, schmierig
Italiano	untuoso, grasso
Ελληνικά	λιπαρός liparós
Română	onctuos, slinos
Русский	масляни́стый masljanístyj, жи́рный žírnyj
עברית	שַׁמְנוּנִי shamnuní

adj of a person: profusely polite, especially in an insincerely earnest and unpleasant manner

Español	untuoso
日本語	慇懃無礼
中文	假惺惺 jiǎxīngxīng, 惺惺 xīngxīng
Português	melífluo
Français	patelin, doucereux, mielleux
Deutsch	schmierig
Italiano	strisciante
Русский	елейный jelejnyj
Tiếng Việt	ngọt xớt

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MLA

"unctuous." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/unctuous. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

unctuous. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/unctuous

Chicago

"unctuous." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/unctuous.

BibTeX

@misc{unctuous_2026,
  title = {unctuous},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/unctuous},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}