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ointment

ointment

49 3.3
A smooth thick oily substance you put on the skin to help it heal or feel soft
  • noun
  • /ˈɔɪntmənt/
translation icon : pomada
  • I am officially upgrading the Dukes... from fly in my ointment to thorn in my side.
  • antibiotic ointment
  • apply ointment
  • ointment jar

And she's rubbing green ointment into the old man's back, right?

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Examples

  • Sarah notices a jar of Mentholatum ointment on the dinner tray.

    Fiction book (1995)
  • Helen smeared it with some antibiotic ointment and gave her a shot for good measure.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • Do you maybe have some ointment or something?

  • I have some ointment at home.

  • Also, I have brought this ointment for your eyes.

  • Phil, keep using the ointment till that thing goes away.

  • Drive straight to a pharmacy and buy some ointment for this child,' I said.

    Academic text (2015)
  • Do you have more of that ointment to make my skin softer?

  • Ted is spreading the ointment over their eyelids as he says this.

    Fiction book (1995)
  • The doctor recommended applying the ointment to the burn every day until it heals.

Synonyms

cream
vsointment
346 1.0

Thick, smooth substance put on skin to soften or protect it

is usually oilier and greasier in texture than that thicker smooth form
lotion
vsointment
95 1.0

A liquid you put on your skin to make it less dry, protect it, or help heal it

is thicker and greasier, aimed more at healing and long lasting protection
moisturizer
vsointment
  • US
30 3.2

A cream or lotion you put on your skin to keep it soft and hydrated

is more oily and healing focused rather than mainly for hydration
balm
vsointment
16 3.7

A soft medicine that you put on the skin to heal or soothe irritation

is similar but emphasizes the general oily texture and moisturizing use
salve
vsointment
10 6.4

A soft oily substance you put on skin to help it heal

is a general smooth oily healing product rather than only a medicated balm
application
vsointment
4 5.9

A liquid medicine or lotion you put on the skin to help it heal

is thicker and oilier, used especially for long lasting skin healing or moisture
hand lotion
vsointment
4 1.4

A cream for your hands that makes the skin soft and not dry

is a greasier topical healing product used for soothing and protecting skin
creme
vsointment
4 3.7

A thick smooth substance you put on your skin to treat or protect it

is oilier and medicinally focused rather than mainly rich and cosmetic
unguent
vsointment
  • Specialized
3 9.9

A soft cream you put on the skin to heal or soothe

is the broader oily soothing product not limited to that formal term
body lotion
vsointment
3 1.8

A cream or light liquid you put on your skin to keep it soft

is oilier and used for healing or soothing specific skin problems
cold cream
vsointment
3 3.3

A thick, soft cream that cleans the face and keeps the skin soft

is more medicinal and oil based rather than mainly cosmetic and cleansing
emollient
vsointment
  • Specialized
1 7.5

A thick cream or liquid that softens and soothes the skin

is oilier and used more for healing and protective purposes too
unction
vsointment
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A thick oily medicine spread on the skin to soothe irritation

is the everyday oily skin treatment used for healing, soothing, or moisturizing
zinc ointment
vsointment
3.0

An ointment that contains zinc and soothes rashes and minor skin irritation

is the general oily healing product without that specific medicated ingredient
crema
vsointment
  • US
5.8

A cream you put on the skin to protect, treat, or make it look better

leans more toward an oily healing salve used for soothing and repair

Idioms

3 6.9

A small problem that spoils an otherwise good situation

Compounds

9.9

An ointment with mercury used long ago to treat skin problems like lice and syphilis

An ointment that contains zinc and soothes rashes and minor skin irritation

How Thick

salve
10 6.4
ointment
49 3.3
cream
346 1.0
lotion
95 1.0

Surface Forms

ointment singular
ointments plural

Morphology

ointment = anoint (semi-transparent) = anoint + ment

Derived from 'anoint' + the nominalizing suffix '-ment', but the initial 'an-' is lost in the surface form 'ointment', making the relation less obvious to learners.

Etymology

The word ointment comes from the old verb anoint, which means 'to rub with oil'. So an ointment is something oily or smooth you 'rub on' your skin to heal or soothe.