emollient

[ ih-mol-yuhnt ]

adjective

1. having the power of softening or relaxing, as a medicinal substance; soothing, especially to the skin:

   emollient lotions for the face.

   Synonyms: assuasive, healing, palliative

noun

1. an emollient medicine, lotion, salve, etc.

emollient

/ ɪˈmɒlɪənt /

adjective

1. softening or soothing, esp to the skin
2. helping to avoid confrontation; calming

noun

1. any preparation or substance that has a softening or soothing effect, esp when applied to the skin

Derived Forms

• eˈmollience, noun

Other Words From

• e·mollience noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of emollient¹

First recorded in 1635–45; from Latin ēmollient- (stem of ēmolliēns ) “softening up” (present participle of ēmollīre ), equivalent to ē- intensive prefix + molli(s) “soft” + -ent- noun and adjective suffix; e- ¹, -ent

Word History and Origins

Origin of emollient¹

C17: from Latin ēmollīre to soften, from mollis soft

Example Sentences

Try adding a richly emollient body cream to your daily routine for long-lasting hydration that will leave skin hydrated and fabulous, not dried out, which can enhance fine lines and wrinkles.

From Essence.com

Oatmeal is an emollient, which means that it holds moisture against the skin.

From Essence.com

Rubenstein listened and as an emollient agreed to an in-house investigation.

From The Daily Beast

No soft hand of woman smoothed his pillow or relieved the agony of pain and suffering by the timely opiate or emollient.

From Project Gutenberg

Ben rushed, and had an emollient; spouted again and was corked; again, and received a neat red-waxen stopper.

From Project Gutenberg

The bowels have been kept open from the 19th, by the occasional use of emollient injections.

From Project Gutenberg

It was attempted to relieve this induration by emollient fomentations.

From Project Gutenberg

He must have seen that its effect would only be to irritate a spirit needing an emollient.

From Project Gutenberg