unctuous
/ˈʌŋ(k)t͡ʃʊəs/
"unctuous" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.
The verdict
“unctuous” is an uncommon English word, ranked #92,190 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.
- #92,190
- frequency rank, English
- 8
- letters
According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Having the nature or properties of an unguent or ointment; greasy, oily.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Headword | unctuous |
| Language | English |
| Part of speech | Adjective |
| IPA | /ˈʌŋ(k)t͡ʃʊəs/ |
| Letters | 8 |
| Frequency rank | #92,190 |
| Misspellings tracked | 0 |
| Confusable pairs | 0 |
| Source | Wiktionary (kaikki.org) |
Where “unctuous” sits in English frequency
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
The English entry for unctuous is 8 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈʌŋ(k)t͡ʃʊəs/. Corpus data places it at rank #92,190 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 6 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.
We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for unctuous, typically a sign the spelling maps closely to how the word sounds. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.
Etymologically, the entry records: From Late Middle English unctuous [and other forms], borrowed from Medieval Latin ūnctuōsus (“greasy, oily, unctuous”), from Latin ūnctum (“ointment; rich banquet; rich savoury dish”) + -ōsus (suffix meaning ‘full of; overly’ forming adjectives from nouns).… The correct English form is unctuous, spelled U-N-C-T-U-O-U-S.
Definition
- 1Having the nature or properties of an unguent or ointment; greasy, oily.
- 2Having fat or oil present; fatty, greasy, oily.
- 3Of an aroma or taste, or a beverage (such as coffee or wine) or food (such as gravy, meat, or sauce): having layers of concentrated, velvety flavour; lush, rich.
- 4Of soil: soft and sticky.
- 5Of a person:
- 6Of a person:
Etymology
From Late Middle English unctuous [and other forms], borrowed from Medieval Latin ūnctuōsus (“greasy, oily, unctuous”), from Latin ūnctum (“ointment; rich banquet; rich savoury dish”) + -ōsus (suffix meaning ‘full of; overly’ forming adjectives from nouns). Ūnctum is a noun use of the perfect passive participle of unguō (“to anoint; to smear with oil, to grease or oil”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₃engʷ- (“to anoint; to smear”). Cognates * Italian untuoso * Old French onctües, unctueus, unctuose (modern French onctueux) * Portuguese unctuoso * Spanish untuoso
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); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Using “unctuous”
The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.
- The one correct English spelling is U-N-C-T-U-O-U-S - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
- Say it as /ˈʌŋ(k)t͡ʃʊəs/ (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.