Unctuous describes someone who is excessively or ingratiatingly flattering, often in a way that feels oily or insincere. It can also refer to smooth or greasy textures. In use, it commonly critiques speech or behavior that seems excessively suave yet lacking in genuine sincerity.
"The waiter’s unctuous compliments made the guests uncomfortable and suspicion rose about his motives."
"Her unctuous tone in the meeting suggested she was trying to curry favor rather than offer honest feedback."
"The unctuous gloss on the brochure failed to hide the product’s hidden defects."
"He gave an unctuous smile and nodded as if he agreed, even though his body language said otherwise."
Unctuous comes from the Latin unctus, meaning ‘anointed’ or ‘smearing with oil,’ from unguere ‘to anoint, smear with oil.’ The adjective form unctuosus appears in late Latin, then borrowed into English, preserving its sense of oily or greasy behavior as well as the literal sense of lubrication. Historically, unctuous extended from physical greasiness to a figurative sense of insincerity and over-complimentary speech. By the 18th and 19th centuries, “unctuous” was widely used to criticize flattery that felt designed to manipulate or curry favor rather than express genuine sentiment. First known print uses align with moralizing prose that warned against flattering, oily rhetoric, and the term gradually solidified into a pejorative for people whose speech or mannerisms are designed to manipulate impression rather than convey authentic feeling. Today, unctuous often denotes both texture (oily substances) and attitude (insincere flattery), capturing a sense of slippery, slippery-smooth delivery that hides true intent. Its semantic sphere overlaps with words like oily, smarmy, and sycophantic, yet it retains a strong judgment about authenticity in social, political, or service contexts.
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Words that rhyme with "Unctuous"
-ous sounds
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Pronounce as /ˈʌŋktjuəs/ in US and UK; Australian usually mirrors /ˈʌŋktjʊəs/. Stress is on the first syllable: UNK-tyw-uhs. Break it into un-kt-ous with a strong consonant cluster: the 'ngk' combines nasal + velar stop, followed by /t/ and /j/ plus a schwa or shortened /ə/ before 's'. Think: UNK-tyoo-uhs or UNK-t(y)oo-uhs, depending on accent, with the 'tu' running quickly into the 'ous' ending.
Common errors include misplacing the /ŋ/ and /t/ sequence, saying 'un-KOO-shus' with a vowel shift, or dropping the /t/ entirely. Correct it by clearly releasing the /ŋk/ cluster before the /t/, and merge the /j/ into /tj/ smoothly: /ˈʌŋk.tju.əs/ in US/UK. Practice with a small pause between /ŋk/ and /t/, then glide into /ju/ before the final /əs/. Recording helps you hear if the /t/ gets swallowed.
US typically uses /ˈʌŋktjuəs/ with a clear /t/ release and /ju/ as a yoo glide. UK often renders /ˈʌŋktjʊəs/ with a slightly shorter /ju/ and a tighter vowel in the first syllable; rhoticity is less relevant here since there’s no rhotic vowel. Australian follows US-influenced patterns but may have a flatter /ʊ/ in the first vowel and a softer /j/ transition. Listen for the subtle vowel rounding and the /tj/ cluster.
The difficulty lies in the dense consonant cluster /ŋk/ immediately followed by /t/, then the /j/ onset of the second syllable. The combination tests your ability to maintain tongue closure without adding a vowel between /ŋk/ and /t/. Additionally, the /ju/ or /jʊ/ glide before /əs/ can blur in rapid speech. Focus on clean stops, keeping the /t/ crisp, and a smooth /j/ transition.
In standard English, the sequence is a crisp /kt/ cluster: /ˈʌŋk.tju.əs/US, with /kt/ as a single released cluster. Do not voice the /t/ as an alveolar tap; keep it a clearly enunciated stop before the /j/ glide. The /t/ is not silent, and you should avoid merging the /t/ into /tj/ inadvertently. Practice saying ‘nk-t’ together to preserve the cluster.
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