Standard Lemma guide

oleaginous

adj · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /ˌəʊ.lɪˈæd͡ʒ.ɪ.nəs/
  • US: /ˌoʊ.liˈæd͡ʒ.ɪ.nəs/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: OW2 L IY0 AE1 JH AH0 N AH0 S Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Oily, greasy.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: oily, sebaceous, unctuous

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Falsely or affectedly earnest; persuasively suave.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • The oleaginous salesman convinced me to buy a more expensive car.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: fulsome, smarmy, unctuous

Antonyms: none provided

3

adjective satellite

Meaning 3

containing an unusual amount of grease or oil

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • greasy hamburgers
  • oily fried potatoes
  • oleaginous seeds

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: greasy, oily, sebaceous

Antonyms: none provided

4

adjective satellite

Meaning 4

unpleasantly and excessively suave or ingratiating in manner or speech

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • buttery praise
  • gave him a fulsome introduction
  • an oily sycophantic press agent
  • oleaginous hypocrisy
  • smarmy self-importance
  • the unctuous Uriah Heep
  • soapy compliments

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: buttery, fulsome, oily, smarmy, soapy, unctuous

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Borrowed from French oléagineux, borrowed from Medieval Latin oleāginōsus (“oily”), from olea (“the olive tree or its fruit”).

Across languages

Translations

33 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: маслен (maslen) — oily, greasy
  • Bulgarian: мазен (mazen) — oily, greasy
  • Catalan: oleaginós — oily, greasy
  • Czech: olejnatý — oily, greasy
  • Dutch: oliehoudend — oily, greasy
  • Dutch: olierijk — oily, greasy
  • Finnish: öljyinen — oily, greasy
  • French: oléagineux — oily, greasy
  • German: ölig — oily, greasy
  • German: ölhaltig — oily, greasy
  • Italian: oleaginoso — oily, greasy
  • Latin: oleāginōsus — oily, greasy
  • Polish: oleisty — oily, greasy
  • Polish: tłusty — oily, greasy
  • Portuguese: oleaginoso — oily, greasy
  • Romanian: oleaginos — oily, greasy
  • Russian: маслянистый (masljanistyj) — oily, greasy
  • Spanish: oleaginoso — oily, greasy
  • Bulgarian: мазен (mazen) — falsely or affectedly earnest; persuasively suave
  • Catalan: afalagador — falsely or affectedly earnest; persuasively suave
  • Dutch: zalvend — falsely or affectedly earnest; persuasively suave
  • Dutch: gladjakkerig — falsely or affectedly earnest; persuasively suave
  • Finnish: lipevä — falsely or affectedly earnest; persuasively suave
  • French: oléagineux — falsely or affectedly earnest; persuasively suave
  • German: ölig — falsely or affectedly earnest; persuasively suave
  • German: schmierig — falsely or affectedly earnest; persuasively suave
  • Ingrian: lippiä — falsely or affectedly earnest; persuasively suave
  • Italian: untuoso — falsely or affectedly earnest; persuasively suave
  • Persian: چربزبان (čarb-zabân) — falsely or affectedly earnest; persuasively suave
  • Polish: obłudny — falsely or affectedly earnest; persuasively suave
  • Russian: елейный (jelejnyj) — falsely or affectedly earnest; persuasively suave
  • Spanish: empalagoso — falsely or affectedly earnest; persuasively suave
  • Swedish: sliskig — falsely or affectedly earnest; persuasively suave