Meanings
unction1
plural unctions
- countableuncountableAn ointment or salve.
The King himſelf the ſacred Unction made, / As King by Office, and as Prieſt by Trade: […]
c. 1678 (date written; published 1682), J[ohn] Dryden, “Mac Flecknoe”, in Mac Flecknoe: A Poem. […] With Spencer’s Ghost: Being a Satyr Concerning Poetry. […], London: […] H[enry] Hills, […], published 1709, →OCLC, page 6 - countableuncountableA religious or ceremonial anointing.
To be heir, and to be king / By sacred unction, thy deserved right.
1667, John Milton, “Book VI”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC - countableuncountableA balm or something that soothes.
- countableuncountableA quality in language, address or delivery which expresses sober and fervent emotion.
Krook almost smacks his lips with the unction of a horrible interest.
1852 March – 1853 September, Charles Dickens, chapter XI, in Bleak House, London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1853, →OCLC1 more example
"Well, I'll say this for myself. If there's anything out of order where I'm about, I don't miss it." "I believe you," said Bradly with unction.
1938, Norman Lindsay, chapter XXI, in Age of Consent, London: T[homas] Werner Laurie […], →OCLC, page 223 - countableuncountableUnctuousness: A smug, exaggerated use of language; smarminess.
unction2
Synonyms & antonyms
nounexcessive but superficial compliments given with affected charm
nounsmug self-serving earnestness
nounsemisolid preparation (usually containing a medicine) applied externally as a remedy or for soothing an irritation
nounanointing as part of a religious ceremony or healing ritual
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
unction · noun
- Proto-Indo-European*h₃engʷ-
- Proto-Italic*ongʷō
- Latinunguō
- Latinungō
- Latinunctiō
- Englishunction
Borrowed from Latin unctiō.
More words from Latin
Full word history & related roots →unction · noun
Blend of unc (“older man”) + function (“social occasion”)
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek χρῖσμα
- χρῖσμα (khrîsma)religious or ceremonial anointing
Bulgarian крем, мехлем
- крем (krem)ointment or salve
- мехлем (mehlem)ointment or salve
- миропомазване (miropomazvane)religious or ceremonial anointing
Czech mazání, pomazání
- mazáníointment or salve
- pomazáníreligious or ceremonial anointing
Finnish voide, voitelu
- voideointment or salve
- voitelureligious or ceremonial anointing
- palsamibalm or something that soothes
- liukaskielisyyssmug use of language
- liukkaussmug use of language
French onction, onction
- onctionointment or salve
- onctionreligious or ceremonial anointing
Greek αλοιφή, χρίσμα
- αλοιφή (aloifí)ointment or salve
- χρίσμα (chrísma)religious or ceremonial anointing
Hungarian kenőcs, kenet
- kenőcsointment or salve
- kenetreligious or ceremonial anointing
- felkenésreligious or ceremonial anointing
- balzsambalm or something that soothes
- írbalm or something that soothes
- kenetteljességsmug use of language
- önelégültségsmug use of language
Irish ungadh, ungadh
- ungadhointment or salve
- ungadhreligious or ceremonial anointing
Italian balsamo, unguento
- balsamobalm or something that soothes
- unguentobalm or something that soothes
- cremabalm or something that soothes
Latin unctio
- unctioreligious or ceremonial anointing
Polish namaszczenie, namaszczenie
- namaszczenieointment or salve
- namaszczeniereligious or ceremonial anointing
Russian мазь, пома́зание
- мазь (mazʹ)ointment or salve
- пома́зание (pomázanije)religious or ceremonial anointing
- еле́й (jeléj)balm or something that soothes
Spanish unción
- unciónreligious or ceremonial anointing
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with unction
Cite this entry
unction. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/unction
“unction.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/unction. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “unction,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/unction.
Source: unction on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.