onctueux

Forms

onctueux (feminine onctueuse, masculine plural onctueux, feminine plural onctueuses)^[1] Old French unctuose (feminine, second half of the 13th century), Middle French unctueus (1314); onctueux from the 14th century.^[2][3][4]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Medieval Latin unctuōsus (recorded in 1250),^[2][5][3][6] from unctum, the supine of unguō (“to anoint”).^[2][5][1] It belongs with onction and oindre.^[5][7]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in the second half of the 13th century in an introduction to astronomy, in savor unctuose “an oily taste”.^[2][5]

Semantic evolution

In 1314 the surgeon Henri de Mondeville used unctueus for what is fit for anointing, and of grease, which he called more unctuous and moister than tallow.^[2][7] The adjective describes what feels soft and smooth to the touch, by comparison with a fatty substance.^[5]

From the 18th century, like onction, it was used figuratively for gentle, moving language (1741) and for a person (1763), and since the 19th century often with a pejorative sense of affected, oily sweetness (1863, Goncourt).^[2][5]

Timeline

• Second half of the 13th century – Savor unctuose in an introduction to astronomy.^[2][5]
• 1314 – Henri de Mondeville writes unctueus of greasy substances fit for anointing.^[2][3][7]
• 1582 – The adverb onctueusement is recorded.^[5][8]
• 1741 – Duclos uses it figuratively of tender words.^[2][5]
• 1763 – Applied to a person, an actress, by Bachaumont.^[2]
• 1863 – The Goncourts use it pejoratively, beside mielleux.^[2]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Greasy or oily in nature, fit for anointing; smooth to the touch like fat or oil: une crème onctueuse.^[8][2][7]
2. Smooth and creamy in texture: une sauce onctueuse.^[8][1]
3. (figurative, often ironic) Full of onction, unctuous, sweetly pious or oily in manner: des manières onctueuses.^[8][2][1]

Word family

• onctueusement

Related words

• onction
• oindre
• onguent
• Latin unguō

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
3. ^ a b c Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
5. ^ a b c d e f g h i Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
6. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 14, 36b
7. ^ a b c d Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
8. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert