oleaginous

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English

WOTD – 3 February 2009

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

  • Lua error in Module:parameters at line 360: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "UK" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. IPA(key): /ˌəʊ.lɪˈædʒ.ɪ.nəs/
  • Lua error in Module:parameters at line 360: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "US" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. IPA(key): /ˌoʊ.liˈædʒ.ɪ.nəs/
  • Audio (US):(file)

Adjective

oleaginous (comparative more oleaginous, superlative most oleaginous)

  1. Oily, greasy.
    • 1707, J[ohn] Mortimer, The Whole Art of Husbandry; or, The Way of Managing and Improving of Land. […], London: […] J[ohn] H[umphreys] for H[enry] Mortlock […], and J[onathan] Robinson […], →OCLC:
      […] the use of Linseed-oyl, Tar, or such oleaginous Matter, tends much to their Preservation and Duration.
    • 1929, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The Disintegration Machine‎[1]:
      Looking back, it seemed to me that a slight oleaginous mist was still hovering round the chair.
    • 2000, Joyce Carol Oates, Blonde, page 677:
      His once-black hair had faded to the color of used steel wool and now covered his bony skull in a peculiar oleaginous fuzz.
  2. (of manner or speech) Falsely or affectedly earnest; persuasively suave.
    The oleaginous salesman convinced me to buy a more expensive car.

Synonyms

Translations

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