Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
petrolatum

petrolatum

1 8.3
A thick greasy substance from oil that protects and keeps skin soft
  • noun
  • /ˌpɛtrəˈleɪtəm/
  • Specialized
translation icon : petrolato
  • petrolatum and glycerin
  • mineral oil and petrolatum
  • oil and petrolatum

Examples

  • Petrolatum.

    Phantoms (1998)

  • Per our recommendation, the patient applied white petrolatum twice daily to the ulceration, and it was completely healed within 2 months.

    Academic text (2007)

  • The doctor recommended applying petrolatum to keep the wound moist and promote healing.

  • Many lip balms use petrolatum to protect and hydrate dry lips.

  • This cream contains petrolatum as a key ingredient to prevent moisture loss from the skin.

Synonyms

petroleum jelly
vspetrolatum
3 3.8

A soft, greasy substance used to protect skin and as a lubricant

is thicker and oilier in texture rather than soft
mineral jelly
vspetrolatum
4.1

A soft, oily product you put on skin and on machine parts to make them move smoothly

is used more for cosmetics and general skin care than for medicines

Compounds

petrolatum gauze
  • Specialized
5.7

A gauze soaked in petroleum jelly to protect wounds and keep them moist

Surface Forms

petrolatum singular
petrolatums plural

Morphology

petrolatum = petrol (semi-transparent) = petrol + atum

Form is clearly related to 'petrol'/'petroleum', but the exact meaning 'a semisolid ointment' is a technical sense that learners may not predict from the base word alone.

Etymology

The word petrolatum comes from petrol, a short form of petroleum, which literally means 'rock oil'. So petrolatum is the thick, oily jelly made from that oil, used to protect skin and keep it moist.