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unctuous

The origin and history of unctuous.

Etymology

Unctuous comes from Late Middle English, borrowed from the Medieval Latin word unctuosus, meaning greasy or oily. That word derives from Latin unctum, meaning ointment, which is a form of the verb unguo, to anoint or smear with oil. The ultimate root traces back to an old Indo-European word meaning to anoint.

Origin: Latin

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