oleaginous
/ˌəʊ.lɪˈæd͡ʒ.ɪ.nəs/
"oleaginous" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“oleaginous” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as an adjective. The kind of spelling people second-guess.
- Unranked
- below top-frequency English
- 10
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Oily, greasy.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | oleaginous |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Adjective |
| IPA | /ˌəʊ.lɪˈæd͡ʒ.ɪ.nəs/ |
| Letters | 10 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “oleaginous” sits in English frequency
Rare enough to double-check
oleaginous is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anadjective, transcribed /ˌəʊ.lɪˈæd͡ʒ.ɪ.nəs/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.
The misspelling generator found no plausible variants for oleaginous, suggesting the orthography follows predictable English patterns. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, which tends to mean the word is visually distinctive enough to stand on its own.
Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from French oléagineux, borrowed from Medieval Latin oleāginōsus (“oily”), from olea (“the olive tree or its fruit”). The correct English form is oleaginous, spelled O-L-E-A-G-I-N-O-U-S.
Definition
- 1Oily, greasy.
- 2Falsely or affectedly earnest; persuasively suave.
Etymology
Borrowed from French oléagineux, borrowed from Medieval Latin oleāginōsus (“oily”), from olea (“the olive tree or its fruit”).
This word in other languages
Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you spell "oleaginous"?
What does "oleaginous" mean?
How do you pronounce "oleaginous"?
What is the origin of the word "oleaginous"?
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Using “oleaginous”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is O-L-E-A-G-I-N-O-U-S - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˌəʊ.lɪˈæd͡ʒ.ɪ.nəs/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
- Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source
Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.