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Today’s word: Oleaginous

January 12, 2009 Words on the page

(adjective)

1. Resembling or having the properties of oil : oily ; also : containing or producing oil
2. Marked by an offensively ingratiating manner or quality

— [Merriam-Webster online dictionary](http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oleaginous)

I became aware of the word in an [EW review](http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20249555,00.html) of the new season of Damages:

> More mystery envelops yet another new character — Deadwood’s Timothy Olyphant, as an oleaginous member of Ellen’s grief-counseling group.

The writer means it in the second sense. It’s a lovely word, and a nice alternative to the similar unctuous. Another reason I’m happy to have so many words in English.

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