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Glite Dictionary
to camphorate

to camphorate

1 9.9
To put camphor, a strong smelling medicine, in something so it smells and lasts longer
  • verb
  • /ˈkæm.fər.eɪt/
  • Archaic
translation icon : alcanforar
  • To treat her cold, she decided to camphorate her chest with a special balm.
  • camphorated oil

Examples

  • I was always inhaling over steaming water and camphorated oil.

    Being Julia (2004)

  • She said a strong scent of camphorated oils beneath the brace on his back made Eugene somewhat less of a catch.

    Fiction book (1997)

  • The doctor recommended that I camphorate my sore muscles to relieve the pain.

  • Before applying the ointment, make sure to camphorate the cotton pads.

Synonyms

to medicate
vsto camphorate
13 6.1

Treat a thing like soap with medicine so it helps heal or prevent infection

does the same but uses one specific medicinal substance rather than any medicine

How Treated

to saturate
55 5.2
to camphorate
  • Archaic
1 9.9
to apply
263 1.3

Surface Forms

camphorate infinitive
camphorated past
camphorated past participle
camphorating present participle
camphorates third person singular

Morphology

camphorate = camphor (transparent) = camphor + ate

The verb is predictably formed by adding the verb-forming suffix '-ate' to 'camphor', so meaning 'to treat with camphor' follows directly.

Etymology

Camphorate comes from camphor, a strong-smelling aromatic substance first named in Asian languages where the old word meant 'aromatic resin'. So to camphorate something is to treat or soak it with camphor, giving it that preserving, soothing smell and effect.