Oleose

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈəʊ.li.əʊz/

Definitions

1. Having the nature or appearance of oil; containing, resembling, or covered with a fatty or greasy substance
2. Characterized by a smooth, greasy texture that resembles oil, this term often refers to substances that are rich in fats or have an oily appearance
3. Displaying an oily character or texture typical of fats and greases

Etymology: "Oleose" is an adjective meaning oily in texture, and it comes from Latin "oleōsus", the adjective built on "oleum", meaning oil. The Latin root is the same one behind "oil" itself, so the word is essentially a more formal, Latinate way of saying "full of oil" or "having the quality of oil." The "-ose" ending, from Latin "-osus", is the same suffix that turns a noun into a descriptive adjective, as in "verbose" or "glucose" (in the latter, the suffix marks a sugar). The word is a straightforward formation, with no dramatic shift in meaning or famous coiner behind it. Its value lies in the fact that it preserves the plain Latin sense of oil, where English words like "oily" have kept a more everyday, sometimes unpleasant, tone.

Synonyms: oily