demulcent

[ dih-muhl-suh nt ]

/ dɪˈmʌl sənt /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR demulcent ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

soothing or mollifying, as a medicinal substance.

noun

a demulcent substance or agent, often mucilaginous, as for soothing or protecting an irritated mucous membrane.

Words nearby demulcent

demotic, demount, dempsey, dempster, demucosation, demulcent, demulsify, demur, demure, demurrage, demurral

Origin of demulcent

1725–35; < Latin dēmulcent- (stem of dēmulcēns, present participle of dēmulcere to stroke down, soften), equivalent to dē- de- + mulc(ere) to soothe + -ent- -ent

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for demulcent

These are made of the purest refined juice or extract of liquorice, and have long been esteemed as a demulcent.
Cooley's Practical Receipts, Volume II|Arnold Cooley
Demulcent and emollient; principally used for poultices and fomentations.
Cattle and Their Diseases|Robert Jennings
Follow up with demulcent drinks, such as barley-water, flour and water, &c.
Poisons: Their Effects and Detection|Alexander Wynter Blyth
It is little more than a demulcent, and in this country is not employed as a medicine.
The Sacred Formulas of the Cherokees|James Mooney

Demulcent and astringent lotions may be applied by douche, spray, or gargle.
A System of Practical Medicine By American Authors, Vol. II|Various

British Dictionary definitions for demulcent

demulcent

/ (dɪˈmʌlsənt) /

adjective

soothing; mollifying

noun

a drug or agent that soothes the irritation of inflamed or injured skin surfaces

Word Origin for demulcent

C18: from Latin dēmulcēre to caress soothingly, from de- + mulcēre to stroke

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medicine definitions for demulcent

demulcent

[ dĭ-mŭl′sənt ]

adj.

Relieving irritation; soothing.

n.

A soothing, usually mucilaginous or oily substance, such as glycerin or lanolin, used especially to relieve pain in inflamed or irritated mucous membranes.