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oleaginous

adjective
ole·​ag·​i·​nous | \ ˌō-lē-ˈa-jə-nəs How to pronounce oleaginous (audio) \

Definition of oleaginous

1 : resembling or having the properties of oil : oily also : containing or producing oil
2 : marked by an offensively ingratiating manner or quality
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Other Words from oleaginous

oleaginously adverb
oleaginousness noun

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.

Examples of oleaginous in a Sentence

the office manager greeted the corporate bigwigs with an oleaginous welcome that should have embarrassed him

First Known Use of oleaginous

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for oleaginous

Middle English, from Middle French oleagineux, from Latin oleagineus of an olive tree, from olea olive tree, from Greek elaia

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The first known use of oleaginous was in the 15th century

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More Definitions for oleaginous

oleaginous

adjective
ole·​ag·​i·​nous | \ ˌō-lē-ˈaj-ə-nəs How to pronounce oleaginous (audio) \

Medical Definition of oleaginous

: resembling or having the properties of oil also : containing or producing oil

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Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for oleaginous

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