unctuous

[ uhngk-choo-uhs ]

See synonyms for unctuous on Thesaurus.com

adjective

characterized by excessive piousness or moralistic fervor, especially in an affected manner; excessively smooth, suave, or smug.
of the nature of or characteristic of an unguent or ointment; oily; greasy.

having an oily or soapy feel, as certain minerals.

Origin of unctuous

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Medieval Latin ūnctuōsus, equivalent to Latin ūnctu(s) “act of anointing” (ung(uere) “to smear, anoint” + -tus suffix of verb action) + -ōsus -ous

Other words from unctuous

unc·tu·ous·ly, adverb
unc·tu·ous·ness, unc·tu·os·i·ty [uhngk-choo-os-i-tee], /ˌʌŋk tʃuˈɒs ɪ ti/, noun

Words Nearby unctuous

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use unctuous in a sentence

One promising early antagonist is the late President’s unctuous daughter, Kimberly, played marvelously against type by Amber Tamblyn.
FX’s Epic Y: The Last Man Adaptation Gets Off to a Shaky But Intriguing Start | Judy Berman | September 8, 2021 | Time
Know the risksWhile this unctuous fluid has plenty of things in its favor, there is a dark side to it.
Bone broth will sustain you at home and in the wild. Here’s how to make it. | By Tim MacWelch/Outdoor Life | October 5, 2020 | Popular-Science
Their righteous outbursts represent an ancient and unctuous form of Kabuki theater.
Forget the Wife Beating—Are You Ready for Some Football? | Steve Almond | September 11, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
It was an emotional speech, but a delightfully graceful, rather than unctuous and overblown, one.
The Changing Color of the Oscars: '12 Years A Slave' Makes History | Tim Teeman | March 3, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
The memories of a hundred business trips came roaring back as I recalled the unctuous Cinnabon aroma that wafts through airports.
The Appeal of Cinnabon Vodka and the Rise of Flavored Vodkas | Daniel Gross | November 22, 2013 | THE DAILY BEAST

Nobody liked him much to begin with, and all this slap-fighting has made him look even more unctuous and ineffectual.
Hunger Games: Mitt Romney Needs to Tap His Inner Katniss Everdeen | Michelle Cottle | March 30, 2012 | THE DAILY BEAST
He delivered his repeated phrases with an unctuous indulgent roll that made Gwynne long to grind his teeth.
Ancestors | Gertrude Atherton
Very little of that unctuous spasmodic shouting, which used to characterise Wesleyanism, is heard in Lune-street Chapel.
Our Churches and Chapels | Atticus
I am weary of retired colonels with port-stained faces, and vinegary old maids, and unctuous canons.
Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 147, September 2nd, 1914 | Various
Her father's voice was unctuous with welcome as he hastened to meet the ponderous bulk that loomed through the dusk.
Where the Pavement Ends | John Russell
A man whom he liked and respected was about to fire the first shot on behalf of unctuous rectitude and the conventions.
The Terms of Surrender | Louis Tracy

British Dictionary definitions for unctuous

unctuous

/ (ˈʌŋktjʊəs) /

adjective

slippery or greasy
affecting an oily charm

Origin of unctuous

C14: from Medieval Latin unctuōsus, from Latin unctum ointment, from ungere to anoint

Derived forms of unctuous

unctuosity (ˌʌŋktjʊˈɒsɪtɪ) or unctuousness, noun
unctuously, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Browse