FROM THE ARCHIVEThursday, October 15, 2026
unctuous
UNK-choo-us/ˈʌŋktʃuəs//adjective
01 / MEANING
Insincerely and excessively flattering; in a literal sense, greasy or oily.
In a sentence.
- 01
The salesperson's unctuous praise made her wary.
- 02
The ointment left an unctuous film on the jar.
Where it came from.
Unctuous ultimately comes from Latin unguō, ‘to anoint or smear with oil,’ through words for an oily substance. Its figurative sense gives excessive politeness an unpleasantly slick texture.
Explore the sourceWhy it’s interesting.
It makes a social judgment feel physical: a smooth manner can seem as oily as a salve.