Standard Lemma guide

unctuous

adj · 7 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.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈʌŋ(k)t͡ʃʊəs/
  • Received-Pronunciation: /-tjʊəs/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • General-American: /ˈʌŋ(k)(t)ʃəwəs/
  • General-American: /ˈʌŋ(k)(t)ʃəs/
  • CMU ARPABET: AH1 NG CH W AH0 S Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Having the nature or properties of an unguent or ointment; greasy, oily.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Qualifier: or other substance

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: mellowy, oleaginous, saponaceous, slaistery, slimy, smarmy, unctious, unctuose, unguinous

Antonyms: ununctuous

2

adj

Meaning 2

Having fat or oil present; fatty, greasy, oily.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adj

Meaning 3

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.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: savorous

Antonyms: none provided

4

adj

Meaning 4

Of soil: soft and sticky.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

adj

Meaning 5

Of a person:

Complacent, self-satisfied, smug.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

adj

Meaning 6

Of a person:

Profusely polite, especially in an insincere and unpleasant manner.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: greasy, oily, oleaginous, slimy, smarmy, asslicky, fawning, groveling, ingratiating, obsequious, schmoozy, self-abasing, soapy, sucky, sycophantic, toadyish, toadying, truckling, unctuous

Antonyms: none provided

7

adjective satellite

Meaning 7

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, oleaginous, smarmy, soapy

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

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

Across languages

Translations

65 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Armenian: օծ (ōc) — of a liquid, etc.: having the nature or properties of an unguent or ointment — see also oily, greasy
  • Bulgarian: мазен (mazen) — of a liquid, etc.: having the nature or properties of an unguent or ointment — see also oily, greasy
  • Catalan: untuós — of a liquid, etc.: having the nature or properties of an unguent or ointment — see also oily, greasy
  • Catalan: greixós — of a liquid, etc.: having the nature or properties of an unguent or ointment — see also oily, greasy
  • Czech: mastný — of a liquid, etc.: having the nature or properties of an unguent or ointment — see also oily, greasy
  • Czech: krémový — of a liquid, etc.: having the nature or properties of an unguent or ointment — see also oily, greasy
  • Dutch: olieachtig — of a liquid, etc.: having the nature or properties of an unguent or ointment — see also oily, greasy
  • Dutch: vettig — of a liquid, etc.: having the nature or properties of an unguent or ointment — see also oily, greasy
  • Finnish: öljyinen — of a liquid, etc.: having the nature or properties of an unguent or ointment — see also oily, greasy
  • Finnish: lipevä — of a liquid, etc.: having the nature or properties of an unguent or ointment — see also oily, greasy
  • French: onctueux — of a liquid, etc.: having the nature or properties of an unguent or ointment — see also oily, greasy
  • Georgian: ზეთოვანი (zetovani) — of a liquid, etc.: having the nature or properties of an unguent or ointment — see also oily, greasy
  • German: ölig — of a liquid, etc.: having the nature or properties of an unguent or ointment — see also oily, greasy
  • German: schmierig — of a liquid, etc.: having the nature or properties of an unguent or ointment — see also oily, greasy
  • Greek: λιπαρός (liparós) — of a liquid, etc.: having the nature or properties of an unguent or ointment — see also oily, greasy
  • Ancient Greek: λῐπᾰρός (lĭpărós) — of a liquid, etc.: having the nature or properties of an unguent or ointment — see also oily, greasy
  • Hebrew: שַׁמְנוּנִי (shamnuní) — of a liquid, etc.: having the nature or properties of an unguent or ointment — see also oily, greasy
  • Irish: ungthach — of a liquid, etc.: having the nature or properties of an unguent or ointment — see also oily, greasy
  • Italian: untuoso — of a liquid, etc.: having the nature or properties of an unguent or ointment — see also oily, greasy
  • Italian: grasso — of a liquid, etc.: having the nature or properties of an unguent or ointment — see also oily, greasy
  • Macedonian: ма́слен (máslen) — of a liquid, etc.: having the nature or properties of an unguent or ointment — see also oily, greasy
  • Macedonian: ма́стен (másten) — of a liquid, etc.: having the nature or properties of an unguent or ointment — see also oily, greasy
  • Marathi: चिकण (cikaṇ) — of a liquid, etc.: having the nature or properties of an unguent or ointment — see also oily, greasy
  • Polish: oleisty — of a liquid, etc.: having the nature or properties of an unguent or ointment — see also oily, greasy
  • Polish: tłusty — of a liquid, etc.: having the nature or properties of an unguent or ointment — see also oily, greasy
  • Portuguese: untuoso — of a liquid, etc.: having the nature or properties of an unguent or ointment — see also oily, greasy
  • Romanian: onctuos — of a liquid, etc.: having the nature or properties of an unguent or ointment — see also oily, greasy
  • Romanian: slinos — of a liquid, etc.: having the nature or properties of an unguent or ointment — see also oily, greasy
  • Russian: масляни́стый (masljanístyj) — of a liquid, etc.: having the nature or properties of an unguent or ointment — see also oily, greasy
  • Russian: жи́рный (žírnyj) — of a liquid, etc.: having the nature or properties of an unguent or ointment — see also oily, greasy
  • Sanskrit: चिक्कण (cikkaṇa) — of a liquid, etc.: having the nature or properties of an unguent or ointment — see also oily, greasy
  • Spanish: untuoso — of a liquid, etc.: having the nature or properties of an unguent or ointment — see also oily, greasy
  • Ukrainian: ма́сляний (másljanyj) — of a liquid, etc.: having the nature or properties of an unguent or ointment — see also oily, greasy
  • Ukrainian: масни́й (masnýj) — of a liquid, etc.: having the nature or properties of an unguent or ointment — see also oily, greasy
  • Dutch: romig — of an aroma or taste, or a beverage or food: having layers of concentrated, velvety flavour — see also lush, rich
  • Dutch: rijk — of an aroma or taste, or a beverage or food: having layers of concentrated, velvety flavour — see also lush, rich
  • Finnish: täyteläinen — of an aroma or taste, or a beverage or food: having layers of concentrated, velvety flavour — see also lush, rich
  • Finnish: tahmea — of soil: soft and sticky
  • Bulgarian: мазен (mazen) — of a person: profusely polite, especially in an insincerely earnest and unpleasant manner
  • Bulgarian: угоднически (ugodničeski) — of a person: profusely polite, especially in an insincerely earnest and unpleasant manner
  • Chinese: 假空假死 (ké-khang-ké-sí) — of a person: profusely polite, especially in an insincerely earnest and unpleasant manner
  • Chinese: 假空假榫 (ké-khang-ké-sún, ké-khang-ké-sńg, kée-khang-kée-sún) — of a person: profusely polite, especially in an insincerely earnest and unpleasant manner
  • Chinese: 假空假氣 /假空假气 (ké-khang-ké-khùi) — of a person: profusely polite, especially in an insincerely earnest and unpleasant manner
  • Chinese Mandarin: 假惺惺 (jiǎxīngxīng) — of a person: profusely polite, especially in an insincerely earnest and unpleasant manner
  • Chinese Mandarin: 惺惺 (xīngxīng) — of a person: profusely polite, especially in an insincerely earnest and unpleasant manner
  • Czech: úlisný — of a person: profusely polite, especially in an insincerely earnest and unpleasant manner
  • Czech: slizký — of a person: profusely polite, especially in an insincerely earnest and unpleasant manner
  • Czech: vtíravý — of a person: profusely polite, especially in an insincerely earnest and unpleasant manner
  • Dutch: vleierig — of a person: profusely polite, especially in an insincerely earnest and unpleasant manner
  • Dutch: zalvend — of a person: profusely polite, especially in an insincerely earnest and unpleasant manner
  • Finnish: lipevä — of a person: profusely polite, especially in an insincerely earnest and unpleasant manner
  • Finnish: liukas — of a person: profusely polite, especially in an insincerely earnest and unpleasant manner
  • Finnish: mairea — of a person: profusely polite, especially in an insincerely earnest and unpleasant manner
  • French: patelin — of a person: profusely polite, especially in an insincerely earnest and unpleasant manner
  • French: doucereux — of a person: profusely polite, especially in an insincerely earnest and unpleasant manner
  • French: mielleux — of a person: profusely polite, especially in an insincerely earnest and unpleasant manner
  • German: schmierig — of a person: profusely polite, especially in an insincerely earnest and unpleasant manner
  • Ingrian: lippiä — of a person: profusely polite, especially in an insincerely earnest and unpleasant manner
  • Italian: strisciante — of a person: profusely polite, especially in an insincerely earnest and unpleasant manner
  • Japanese: 慇懃無礼 — of a person: profusely polite, especially in an insincerely earnest and unpleasant manner
  • Macedonian: ли́гав (lígav) — of a person: profusely polite, especially in an insincerely earnest and unpleasant manner
  • Polish: obłudny — of a person: profusely polite, especially in an insincerely earnest and unpleasant manner
  • Portuguese: melífluo — of a person: profusely polite, especially in an insincerely earnest and unpleasant manner
  • Spanish: untuoso — of a person: profusely polite, especially in an insincerely earnest and unpleasant manner
  • Vietnamese: ngọt xớt — of a person: profusely polite, especially in an insincerely earnest and unpleasant manner