smarmy
UK /ˈsmɑː.mi/ · US /ˈsmɑɹ.mi/ adjective
Forms smarmier smarmiest
- adjective Falsely earnest, smug, ingratiating, or pious.
- adjective (rare, dated) Unctuous, greasy, as hair from pomade.
Synonyms
flattering gushing ingratiating oily smug greasy buttery fulsome oleaginous soapy unctuous
Etymology
From smarm + -y. Apparently coined by "B.R.L., of Brighton" with sense "saying treacly things which do not sound genuine" in a competition for neologisms in The Academy (London) published on 14 January 1899.
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 — from the Wiktionary entry “smarmy”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details