In 1511, leaders in Mecca believed coffee stimulated radical thinking and outlawed the drink. In 1524, the leaders overturned that order, and people could drink coffee again.
UNCTUOUS
buttery, fulsome, oily, oleaginous, smarmy, soapy, unctuous
(adjective) unpleasantly and excessively suave or ingratiating in manner or speech; “buttery praise”; “gave him a fulsome introduction”; “an oily sycophantic press agent”; “oleaginous hypocrisy”; “smarmy self-importance”; “the unctuous Uriah Heep”; “soapy compliments”
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Adjective
unctuous (comparative more unctuous, superlative most unctuous)
(of a liquid or substance) Oily or greasy.
(of a wine, coffee, sauce, gravy etc.) Rich, lush, intense, with layers of concentrated, soft, velvety flavor.
(by extension, of a person) Profusely polite, especially unpleasantly so and insincerely earnest.
Synonyms
• (of a liquid): oleaginous, saponaceous, slimy; see also unctuous
• (of wine, coffee, sauce, gravy etc.): savorous
• (profusely, especially unpleasantly, polite): creepy, effusive, groveling, oleaginous, slimy, sycophantic; see also sycophantic
Source: Wiktionary
Unc"tu*ous, a. Etym: [F. onctueux, LL. unctuosus, fr. L. unctus anointment, fr. ungere, unctum, to anoint. See Unguent.]
1. Of the nature or quality of an unguent or ointment; fatty; oily; greasy. "The unctuous cheese." Longfellow.
2. Having a smooth, greasy feel, as certain minerals.
3. Bland; suave; also, tender; fervid; as, an unctuous speech; sometimes, insincerely suave or fervid.
– Unc"tu*ous*ly, adv.
– Unc"tu*ous*ness, n.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
Recent Word Finds
Word of the Day
5 June 2025
UNDERLAY
(verb) raise or support (the level of printing) by inserting a piece of paper or cardboard under the type; “underlay the plate”
Coffee Trivia
