oleaginous

adj.

1. Of or relating to oil.
2. Falsely or smugly earnest; unctuous: oleaginous flattery. See synonyms at unctuous.

[From Middle English oliaginose and from French oléagineux (from Old French), both from Latin oleāginus, of the olive tree, from olea, olive tree, alteration (influenced by oleum, olive oil) of olīva; see olive.]

oleaginously o'le·ag'i·nous·ly adv.
oleaginousness o'le·ag'i·nous·ness n.

(o-lee-AJ-uh-nuhs)

adjective
1. Containing or producing oil; relating to oil.
2. Marked by excessive and false earnestness; ingratiating.

Etymology
From Middle English, from French oleagineux, from Latin oleaginus (of the olive tree), from olea (the olive tree).

Usage
"The memory of the food has long faded, happily, but the creepy, oleaginous waiter with the thick French accent will always endure." — Jacob Richler; Dumb Name, Fine Food: La Brasserie.ca; National Post (Canada); Apr 19, 2003.

"But it could have been Max Bialystock, oleaginous impresario wheedling cash from besotted widows and trying to bilk investors in the hit New York musical 'The Producers'." — Warren Hoge; A Bialystock Made to Order; The New York Times; Feb 8, 2002.

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adjective

1. Having the qualities of fat: adipose, fat, fatty, greasy, oily, unctuous. See fat/thin.
2. Affectedly and self-servingly earnest: fulsome, oily, sleek, smarmy, unctuous. See attitude/good attitude/bad attitude/neutral attitude, honest/dishonest.

Oily; greasy.

resembling or having the properties of oil; unctuous

A cynical view of the world by Ambrose Bierce

adj.

Oily, smooth, sleek.

Disraeli once described the manner of Bishop Wilberforce as "unctuous, oleaginous, saponaceous." And the good prelate was ever afterward known as Soapy Sam. For every man there is something in the vocabulary that would stick to him like a second skin. His enemies have only to find it.

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