Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.

Definition: Unction |
UnctionNoun1. Excessive but superficial compliments given with affected charm. 2. Smug self-serving earnestness. 3. Semisolid preparation (usually containing a medicine) applied externally as a remedy or for soothing an irritation. 4. Anointing as part of a religious ceremony or healing ritual. Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. |
Date "unction" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1350. (references) |
Etymology: Unction \Unc"tion\, noun. [from Old English expression unccioun, uncioun, Old French oncion, onction, French onction, from the Latin expression unctio, from ungere, unctum, to anoint. See Unguent.]. (references) |
| Domain | Definition |
Satire | UNCTION, n. An oiling, or greasing. The rite of extreme unction consists in touching with oil consecrated by a bishop several parts of the body of one engaged in dying. Marbury relates that after the rite had been administered to a certain wicked English nobleman it was discovered that the oil had not been properly consecrated and no other could be obtained. When informed of this the sick man said in anger: "Then I'll be damned if I die!" "My son," said the priest, "this is what we fear.". Source: Devil's Dictionary. |
Bible | Unction (1 John 2:20,27; R.V., "anointing"). Kings, prophets, and priests were anointed, in token of receiving divine grace. All believers are, in a secondary sense, what Christ was in a primary sense, "the Lord's anointed." Source: Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
Synonyms: UnctionSynonyms: balm (n), fulsomeness (n), inunction (n), oiliness (n), ointment (n), oleaginousness (n), salve (n), smarm (n), smarminess (n), unctuousness (n), unguent (n). (additional references) |
| Synonym by domain: greasiness (building & civil engineering, transportation). |
| Context | Synonyms within Context (source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus). |
Content | Verb: be content; Adjective: rest satisfied, rest and be thankful; take the good the gods provide, let well alone, let well enough alone, feel oneself at home, hug oneself, lay the flattering unction to one's soul. |
Deity | Inspiration, unction, regeneration, sanctification, consolation. |
Excitation | Unction, impressiveness; Adjective: |
Feeling | Warmth, glow, unction, gusto, vehemence; fervor, fervency; heartiness, cordiality; earnestness, eagerness; empressement, gush, ardor, zeal, passion, enthusiasm, verve, furore, fanaticism; excitation of feeling; fullness of the heart; (disposition); passion; (state of excitability); ecstasy; (pleasure). |
Flattery | Lay the flattering unction to one's soul, gild the pill, make things pleasant. |
Hope | Be hopeful; Adjective: look on the bright side of, view on the sunny side, voir en couleur de rose, make the best of it, hope for the best; put a good face upon, put a bold face upon, put the best face upon; keep one's spirits up; take heart, take heart of grace; be of good heart, be of good cheer; flatter oneself, "lay the flattering unction to one's soul" |
Piety | Noun: piety, religion, theism, faith; religiousness, holiness; Adjective: saintship; religionism; sanctimony; (assumed piety); reverence; (respect); humility, veneration, devotion; prostration; (worship); grace, unction, edification; sanctitude; consecration. |
Relief | Smooth the ruffled brow of care, temper the wind to the shorn lamb, lay the flattering unction to one's soul. |
Rite | Verb: perform service, do duty, minister, officiate, baptize, dip, sprinkle; anoint, confirm, lay hands on; give the sacrament, administer the sacrament; administer extreme unction; hear confession, administer holy penance, shrive; excommunicate, ban with bell book and candle. |
Seven sacraments, impanation, subpanation, extreme unction, viaticum, invocation of saints, canonization, transfiguration, auricular confession; maceration, flagellation, sackcloth and ashes; penance; (atonement); telling of beads, processional; thurification, incense, holy water, aspersion. | |
Attend services, attend mass, go to mass, hear mass; take the sacrament, receive the sacrament, receive communion, attend the sacrament, partake of the sacrament, partake of communion; communicate; receive extreme unction; confess, go to confession, receive penance; anele. | |
Vanity | Verb: be vain; Adjective:, be vain of; pique oneself; (pride); lay the flattering unction to one's soul. |
| Source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus. | |
Crosswords: Unction |
| English words defined with "unction": Unaneled. (references) |
| Specialty definitions using "unction": Kingston-on-Thames. (references) |
| Etymologies containing "unction": unguent. (references) |
| Domain | Usage | |
Movie/TV Titles | Extreme Unction (1967) | |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | ||
| Domain | Title |
Music |
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Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| "Unction" is generally used as a noun (singular) -- approximately 100.00% of the time. "Unction" is used about 19 times out of a sample of 100 million words spoken or written in English. Its rank is based on over 700,000 words used in the English language. Some parts-of-speech are not covered due to the samples used by the British National Corpus. (note: percents less than one-hundredth of one percent have been omitted) |
| Parts of Speech | Percent | Usage per 100 Million Words | Rank in English |
| Noun (singular) | 100% | 19 | 80,337 |
Source: compiled by the editor from several corpora; see credits.
Expressions using "unction": extreme unction ♦ lay the flattering unction to one's soul. Additional references. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. |
| The following statistics estimate the number of searches per day across the major English-language search engines as identified by various trade publications. Hyperlinks lead to commercial use of the expression at Amazon.com. |
| Expression | Frequency per Day |
unction | 13 |
extreme unction | 8 |
consumption unction | 3 |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| Language | Translations for "unction"; alternative meanings/domain in parentheses. | |
Albanian | vajim, pomadë (ointment, pomade, unguent), fërkim (caress, embrocation, fondling, friction, massage, rub, rubbing, scouring, traction), epsh (concupiscence, lewdness, libido, lust, prurience, pruriency), dëshirë e fortë (crush, thirst, urge). (various references) | |
Arabic | مسح بالزيت (anoint), مرهم (cream, liniment, ointment, salve, unguent), حماسة زائفة, طلاوة مصطنعة, إستمتاع شديد (zest). (various references) | |
Bulgarian | успокояващи думи, крем (cream, madonna lily, ointment, unguent), неискреност (humbug, insincerity, obliquity, pretence, tortuousity), наслада (complacence, delight, enjoyment, pleasance, pleasure, relish, treat), намазване с мехлем, набожност (devotion, devoutness, godliness, piety, religion, religiosity), мехлем (embrocation, liniment, ointment, salve, unguent), мазност, ласкаещи думи, престорен ентусиазъм, помазване с масло, помазване с миро, помазване с елей. (various references) | |
Czech | posvìcení (sanctification), poslední pomazání, pomazání (anointment), mast (embrocation, ointment, unguent), falešný patos. (various references) | |
Farsi | مرهم گذاری , مرهم (Balm, Chrism, Oil, Ointment, Salve, Unguent), مداهنه (Blarney, Grease), نرمی (Amenity, Gloss, Leniency, Pash, Plasticity, Suavity), چرب زبانی (Bolubility, Lard), لینت , حظ (Joy), تلذذ, تدهین (Chrism), روغن مالی , روغن (Butter, Grease, Lubricant, Oil, Ointment, Unguent). (various references) | |
Finnish | viimeinen voitelu (extreme unction). (various references) | |
French | onctuosité, onction. (various references) | |
German | Salbung (anointing, unctuousness). (various references) | |
Greek | χρίσμα (anointment, confirmation, nomination), ευχέλαιο (holy unction), αλοιφή (liniment, ointment, salve, unguent). (various references) | |
Hebrew | ממשח (anointing, synovia), משיח" (anointing), חן מעוש". (various references) | |
Hungarian | kenet (salve, smear, swab). (various references) | |
Italian | unzione (anointment, unctuousness). (various references) | |
Manx | ooillaghey (anoint, anointing, balm, oil, oiling), ooill y vaaish, ooill ny hagglish (chrism), ooill chasherick (chrism), blasstynys. (various references) | |
Pig Latin | ionunctay.(various references) | |
Portuguese | untuosidade (greasiness), unguento (balm, ointment, salve, unguent), unção (anointment, coupling), fervor (ardor, ardour, fervency, fervor, fervour, mettle, mettlesomeness, vehemence, warmth, zeal), conforto (comfort, consolation, convenience, ease, solace, well-being), bálsamo (balm, balsam, salve, sonsolation), ato de ungir. (various references) | |
Romanian | unguent (ointment, salve, unguent), ungere cu mir, plãcere (amusement, delight, enjoyment, gusto, joy, liking, mind, palate, pleasure, pleasuring, prize, satisfaction, willingness), ipocrizie (cant, double dealing, duplicity, fake, humbug, hypocrisy, left-handedness, pietism), evlavie (awe, devotion, godliness, piety), cucernicie (devotion, godliness, piety). (various references) | |
Russian | смазывание (anointment), втирание мази, набожность (devotion, devoutness, godliness, piety, piousness, prayerfulness), миропомазание, елейность, помазание (anointment, anointments, chrism, inunction). (various references) | |
Serbo-Croatian | miropomazanje (anointment), melem (balm, salve). (various references) | |
Spanish | unción. (various references) | |
Swedish | smörjelse (ointment), salvelse. (various references) | |
Turkish | yapmacıklı nezaket, yağ sürme (greasing), sahte yakınlık, merhem (balm, ointment, pomade, pomatum, salve, unguent), kutsal yağ. (various references) | |
Ukrainian | "лей (chrism), втирання мазі, мазь (covering, ointment, salve, unguent, wax), помазання (anointment). (various references) | |
Vietnamese | thuốc xoa, sự xoa, sự xức, sự khoái trá (delectation), giọng trầm trầm sự vui thú. (various references) | |
Welsh | eneiniad (anointing), arddeliad (approval, conviction). (various references) | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various translation references. | ||
| Language | Period | Translations |
| Latin | 500 BCE-Modern | unctio, unctionem, unctiones, unctionis. (various references) |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | ||
| Language | Date | Source | 1 John Chapter 2, Verse 20 |
| Greek (transliterated) | 250 BC | Septuagint | Kai umeiV crisma ecete apo tou agiou kai oidate panta |
| Latin | 405 | Vulgate | Sed vos unctionem habetis a Sancto et nostis omnia |
| Middle English | 1395 | Wyclif | But ye han anointyng of the Hooli Goost, and knowen alle thingis. |
| Renaissance English | 1526 | Tyndale | And ye have an oyntment of ye holy gost and ye knowe all thynges. |
| Jacobean English | 1611 | King James | But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. |
| Victorian English | 1833 | Webster | But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. |
| Basic English | 1964 | Ogden | And you have the Spirit from the Holy One and you all have knowledge. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |||
| Language | 1 John Chapter 2, Verse 20 |
| Cebuano | ¶ Apan kamo nadihugan niadtong Balaan, ug kamong tanan nahibalo na. |
| Chinese | 們 從 那 聖 者 受 了 恩 膏 、 並 " 知 " 這 一 切 的 事 。 " 或 作 都 有 知 識 〕 |
| Croatian | A vi imate Pomazanje od Svetoga, i znanje svi imate. |
| Danish | Og I have Salvelse fra den hellige og vide alt. |
| Dutch | Doch gij hebt de zalving van den Heilige, en gij weet alle dingen. |
| Finnish | Teillä on voitelu Pyhältä, ja kaikilla teillä on tieto. |
| French | Pour vous, vous avez reçu l`onction de la part de celui qui est saint, et vous avez tous de la connaissance. |
| German | Und ihr habt die Salbung von dem, der heilig ist, und wisset alles. |
| Haitian Creole | ¶ Pou nou menm, nou te resevwa Sentespri Kris la te voye sou nou an, konsa nou tout nou konn verite a. |
| Hungarian | És néktek kenetetek van a Szenttõl, és mindent tudtok. |
| Indonesian-Bahasa Sehari-hari | Tetapi kalian sudah menerima Roh Allah yang dicurahkan oleh Yesus Kristus dan itu sebabnya kamu semuanya mengenal ajaran yang benar. |
| Indonesian-Terjemahan Lama | Maka kamu ini telah beroleh karunia, yaitu kamu diurapi oleh yang kudus itu, dan kamu mengetahui segala sesuatu. |
| Italian | Ora voi avete l'unzione ricevuta dal Santo e tutti avete la scienza. |
| Latvian | Bet jums ir Svçtâ svaidîðana, un jûs zinat visu. |
| Maori | ¶ Na he whakawahinga ano to koutou na te Mea Tapu; e matau ana ano hoki koutou ki nga mea katoa. |
| Norwegian | Og I har salvelse av den Hellige og vet alt. |
| Rumanian | Dar voi ayi primit ungerea din partea Celui sfknt, wi wtiyi orice lucru. |
| Russian | ч ТПЮЕН, ЧЩ ЙНЕЕФЕ ПНБЪБОЙЕ ПФ уЧСФБЗП Й ЪОБЕФЕ ЧУЈ. |
| Shuar | ¶ Antsu atumniaka Yusa Shiir Wakanin Kristu suramsamtai Ashí paant nékarme. |
| Swahili | Ninyi, lakini, mlipata kumiminiwa Roho Mtakatifu na Kristo, na hivyo mnaujua ukweli. |
| Swedish | I åter haven mottagit smörjelse från den Helige, och I haven all kunskap. |
| Uma | ¶ Aga koi' ompi' -ompi', nitarima-mi Inoha' Tomoroli' to ngkai Kristus. Toe pai' hawe'ea-ni mpo'inca tudui' to makono. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
Derivations | |
Words beginning with "unction": unctions. (additional references) | |
Words ending with "unction": adjunction, cofunction, compunction, conjunction, disfunction, disjunction, dysfunction, expunction, function, hyperfunction, injunction, inunction, junction, malfunction, misfunction, multifunction, nondisjunction, subjunction, thermojunction. (additional references) | |
Words containing "unction": adjunctions, bifunctional, cofunctions, compunctions, conjunctional, conjunctionally, conjunctions, difunctional, disfunctional, disfunctions, disjunctions, dysfunctional, dysfunctions, expunctions, functional, functionalism, functionalisms, functionalist, functionalistic, functionalists, functionalities, functionality, functionally, functionaries, functionary, functioned, functioning, functionless, functions, hyperfunctional, hyperfunctioning, hyperfunctions, injunctions, inunctions, junctional, junctions, malfunctioned, malfunctioning, malfunctions, misfunctioned, misfunctioning, misfunctions, multifunctional, nondisjunctional, nondisjunctions, nonfunctional, nonfunctioning, semifunctional, subjunctions, thermojunctions. (additional references) | |
| |
"Unction" is suggested in spellcheckers for the following: aunction, dunction, nnection, Runcton, unaction, uncoion, unctione, unctions, unntion, Unton. (additional references) | |
| Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references). | |
| Words rhyming with "unction" (pronounced 'Unc"tion'): Abacination, Abaction, Abalienation, Abarticulation, Abbreviation, Abdication, Abduction, Aberration, Abevacuation, Abirritation, Abjection, Abjudication, Abjuration, Ablactation, Ablaqueation, Ablation, Ablegation, Abligurition, Abnegation, Abnodation, Abolition, Abomination, Abortion, Abreaction, Abrenunciation, Abreption, Abrogation, Abruption, Absentation, Absolution, Absorbition, Absorption, Abstention, Abstraction, Absumption, Accentuation, Acceptation, Acceptilation, Acception, Acclimatation, Acclimation, Acclimatization, Accombination, Accommodation, Accreditation, Accrementition, Accretion, Accubation, Accusation, Acervation. (additional references) |
Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams | |
| Words within the letters "c-i-n-n-o-t-u" | |
-1 letter: nuncio. | |
-2 letters: conin, count, cutin, niton, ontic, tonic, tunic, union. | |
-3 letters: cion, coin, coni, conn, icon, into, noun, otic, unci, unco, unit, unto. | |
-4 letters: con, cot, cut, inn, ion, nit, not, nun, nut, out, tic, tin, ton, tui, tun. | |
-5 letters: in, it, no, nu, on, ti, to, un, ut. | |
| Words containing the letters "c-i-n-n-o-t-u" | |
+1 letter: continua, continue, continuo, countian, counting, function, junction, unctions. | |
+2 letters: centurion, confuting, continual, continued, continuer, continues, continuos, continuum, contusing, contusion, countians, functions, incaution, induction, inoculant, inunction, junctions, neutronic, trouncing, uncoating, unnoticed. | |
+3 letters: accounting, adjunction, auctioning, cautioning, centurions, cofunction, conducting, conduction, construing, consulting, continuant, continuate, continuers, continuing, continuity, continuous, continuums, contouring, contusions, countering, counterion, cunctation, enunciator, expunction, functional, functioned, incautions, incubation, inductions, injunction, inoculants, insouciant, inunctions, junctional, nonaquatic, nucleation, outdancing, punctation, recounting, suctioning, truncation, unclothing, unneurotic, unromantic. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark. All intellectual property rights in and to the game are owned in the U.S.A and Canada by Hasbro Inc., and throughout the rest of the world by J.W. Spear & Sons Limited of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. Mattel and Spear are not affiliated with Hasbro. | |
| 1. Definition 2. Synonyms 3. Crosswords 4. Usage: Modern | 5. Usage: Commercial 6. Images: Slideshow 7. Usage Frequency 8. Expressions | 9. Expressions: Internet 10. Translations: Modern 11. Translations: Ancient 12. Bible Trace | 13. Derivations 14. Rhymes 15. Anagrams 16. Bibliography |
Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.