oleaginous

[oh-lee-aj-uh-nuhs]

adjective

1. having the nature or qualities of oil.

2. containing oil.

3. producing oil.

4. unctuous; fawning; smarmy.

oleaginous

/ ˌəʊlɪˈædʒɪnəs /

adjective

1. resembling or having the properties of oil

2. containing or producing oil

Other Word Forms

• oleaginousness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of oleaginous¹

First recorded in 1425–50; Middle English oliaginose, (from Middle French oléagineux), from Latin oleāgineus, oleāginius, oleāginus “pertaining to an olive tree,” derivative of olea “olive, olive tree” ( olive )

Word History and Origins

Origin of oleaginous¹

C17: from Latin oleāginus, from olea _olive ; see also _oil

Example Sentences

Ragoravich is predictably oleaginous, a man with a file cabinet full of hidden agendas, but he is charmingly persuasive, and the money has already been wired into Maggie’s account.

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Already masterwork in balancing gentility with explosive rage, the actor blends the spark of a political mover with the oleaginous menace of a mob boss.

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But the most villainous entity they encounter is a duplicitous schemer played with oleaginous insincerity by Hugh Grant.

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It's easy for this approach to look rather oleaginous.

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Last night he suggested in his usual oleaginous way that mean people on Twitter are worse than a dictator who poisons and imprisons his political adversaries.

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