Word of the Day

: September 5, 2014

oleaginous

adjective oh-lee-AJ-uh-nus

What It Means

1 : resembling or having the properties of oil : oily; also : containing or producing oil

2 : marked by an offensively ingratiating manner or quality

oleaginous in Context

Jim seems to mistake his own oleaginous demeanor for charm.

"From swimsuits, evening gowns, and talent to spokesmodel abilities and handling a 'beauty crisis,' the girls go through their paces, egged on by the oleaginous emcee." - Christopher Byrne, Gay City News (New York), July 24, 2014

Did You Know?

The oily oleaginous slipped into English through Middle French, coming from the Latin oleagineus, meaning "of an olive tree." Oleagineus itself is from the Latin olea, meaning "olive tree," and ultimately from the Greek elaia, meaning "olive." Oleaginous was at first used in a literal sense, as it still can be. An oleaginous substance is simply oily, and an oleaginous plant produces oil. The word took on its extended "ingratiating" sense in the 19th century.