Unctuous
If y’all are regular visitors, you already know that I am a foodie.
I love all things Food Network.
One of my favorite shows on the food network in “Iron Chef America” I will even admit to watching the original series "Iron Chef" with the bad dubbing of the Japanese commentary and the ornate costumes of the chairman.
This past Sunday on an episode of Iron Chef America one of the judges, Andrew Knowlton used the word unctuous to describe one of the dished he tasted. Granted I had heard the word before but in all honesty being the grammatical challenged individual that I am I was not entirely sure I knew exactly what this description meant.
As it was nearly 11:00 PM and I was nearly asleep in front of the television anyway I ignored my desire to do a word search to find the definition and went to bed instead.
The next morning I woke up and completely forgot about the undefined word that had been placed before me on the prior evening.
But wait there’s more…
You see, I woke up at 4:30 AM this morning!
I begrudgingly rose from bed to stumble to the bathroom.
I got back in bed, curled back up in my covers and proceeded to lie in a semi conscious state for the next three hours.
What was I thinking about?
Unctuous, what did this word mean?
I kept invading my consciousness.
I kept seeing Andrew Knowlton's face as he describe this dish as having certain unctuousness about it.
Unctuous…
Unctuousness…
Being of an unctuous nature…
What was it????
unc·tu·ous (
ngk
ch
-
s)
adj.
1. Characterized by affected, exaggerated, or insincere earnestness: "the unctuous, complacent court composer who is consumed with envy and self-loathing" Rhoda Koenig.
2. Having the quality or characteristics of oil or ointment; slippery.
3. Containing or composed of oil or fat.
4. Abundant in organic materials; soft and rich: unctuous soil.
[Middle English, from Old French unctueus, from Medieval Latin 
nctu
sus, from Latin nctum, ointment, from neuter past participle of unguere, to anoint.]
unctu·ous·ly adv.
unctu·ous·ness, unc
tu·osi·ty (-
s
-t
) n.
Synonyms: unctuous, fulsome, oily, oleaginous, smarmy
These adjectives mean insincerely, self-servingly, or smugly agreeable or earnest: an unctuous toady; gave the dictator a fulsome introduction; oily praise; oleaginous hypocrisy; smarmy self-importance.
OK, OK I get it NOW!
but I really would have rather slept in!
Blessings
Robin A.K.A the blogger who has now added a new word to her vocabulary!
Comments
BTW, I love Food Network, too, but alas, we canceled our cable. Boo hoo!
Heidi
I think I might disturb Hubby's train of thought if I suddenly came out with that. I shall ponder on when and where to use it... "Waiter, My soup is rather unctuous" Errrrr. No, somehow it won't roll off the tongue too easily.
Never mind, it might come in useful...
Love Granny
I'm glad I'm not the only one who wakes up at odd hours of the morning wondering about odd things :-)
Makes me nuts!
He was actually praising the dish (unctuous is NOT a flattering adjective), and defined the word: "something from the gut, something with soul to it."
WRONG. Sadly, just wrong.