unctuous

• POS: Adjective
• HYPHEN: unc=tu=ous

CIDE DICTIONARY

unctuous, a. [F. onctueux, LL. unctuosus, fr. L. unctus anointment, fr. ungere, unctum, to anoint. See Unguent.].

•  Of the nature or quality of an unguent or ointment; fatty; oily; greasy.  Longfellow.  [1913 Webster]
•  Having a smooth, greasy feel, as certain minerals.  [1913 Webster]
•  Bland; suave; also, tender; fervid; as, an unctuous speech; sometimes, insincerely suave or fervid.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

unctuous, adj.
1 (of behaviour, speech, etc.) unpleasantly flattering; oily.
2 (esp. of minerals) having a greasy or soapy feel; oily.

Derivative

unctuously adv. unctuousness n.

Etymology

ME f. med.L unctuosus f. L unctus anointing (as UNCTION)

THESAURUS

unctuous

Pecksniffian, Tartuffian, Tartuffish, adipose, adulatory, affected, bland, blandishing, blarneying, blubbery, buttery, butyraceous, cajoling, canting, chrismal, chrismatory, complimentary, courtierly, courtly, disarming, fair-spoken, false, fat, fatty, fawning, fine-spoken, flattering, fulsome, glib, goody, goody-goody, greasy, gushing, holier-than-thou, honey-mouthed, honey-tongued, honeyed, hypocritic, hypocritical, ingratiating, insincere, insinuating, lardaceous, lardy, mealymouthed, mucoid, obsequious, oily, oily-tongued, oleaginous, oleic, pharisaic, pharisean, pietistic, pious, rich, sanctified, sanctimonious, sebaceous, self-righteous, simon-pure, sleek, slick, slimy, slippery, slobbery, smarmy, smooth, smooth-spoken, smooth-tongued, smug, sniveling, soapy, soft-soaping, soft-spoken, suave, suave-spoken, suety, sycophantic, tallowy, unguent, unguentary, unguentous, wheedling

ROGET THESAURUS

unctuous

Impiety

N impiety, sin, irreverence, profaneness, profanity, profanation, blasphemy, desecration, sacrilege, scoffing, hypocrisy, pietism, cant, pious fraud, lip devotion, lip service, lip reverence, misdevotion, formalism, austerity, sanctimony, sanctimoniousness, pharisaism, precisianism, sabbatism, sabbatarianism, odium theologicum, sacerdotalism, bigotry blue laws, hardening, backsliding, declension, perversion, reprobation, sinner, scoffer, blasphemer, sacrilegist, sabbath breaker, worldling, hypocrite, Tartufe, Mawworm, bigot, saint, Pharisee, sabbatarian, formalist, methodist, puritan, pietist, precisian, religionist, devotee, ranter, fanatic, juramentado, the wicked, the evil, the unjust, the reprobate, sons of men, sons of Belial, the wicked one, children of darkness, impious, irreligious, desecrating, profane, irreverent, sacrilegious, blasphemous, un-hallowed, un-sanctified, un-regenerate, hardened, perverted, reprobate, hypocritical, canting, pietistical, sanctimonious, unctuous, pharisaical, overrighteous, righteous over much, bigoted, fanatical, priest-ridden, under the mask of religion, under the cloak of religion, under the pretense of religion, under the form of religion, under the guise of religion, giovane santo diavolo vecchio.

Flattery

N flattery, adulation, gloze, blandishment, blandiloquence, cajolery, fawning, wheedling, captation, coquetry, obsequiousness, sycophancy, flunkeyism, toadeating, tuft- hunting, snobbishness, incense, honeyed words, flummery, bunkum, buncombe, blarney, placebo, butter, soft soap, soft sawder, rose water, voice of the charmer, mouth honor, lip homage, euphemism, unctuousness, flattering, adulatory, mealy-mouthed, honey-mouthed, honeyed, smooth, smooth-tongued, soapy, oily, unctuous, blandiloquent, specious, fine-spoken, fair spoken, plausible, servile, sycophantic, fulsome, courtierly, courtier-like, ad captandum.

Unctuousness

N unctuousness, unctuosity, lubricity, ointment, anointment, lubrication, unctuous, oily, oleaginous, adipose, sebaceous, unguinous, fat, fatty, greasy, waxy, butyraceous, soapy, saponaceous, pinguid, lardaceous, slippery.