emollient

American  

[ih-mol-yuhnt] / ɪˈmɒl yənt /

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

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noun

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

emollient British  

/ ɪˈmɒlɪənt /

adjective

1. softening or soothing, esp to the skin

2. helping to avoid confrontation; calming

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noun

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

Other Word Forms

• emollience
  noun

Etymology

Origin of emollient

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; see e- ¹, -ent

Explanation

An emollient is a cream or ointment with a thick, gooey texture. When your hands are dry and cracked in the winter, you probably apply an emollient to make them softer. Emollient comes from a Latin word with the same spelling, which means “to make soft.” The noun form of emollient refers to a substance that makes something soft. However, emollient can also be an adjective used to describe something with a softening or soothing effect. For example, the annoying child on the airplane might be soothed by the emollient sound of the pilot’s voice over the intercom.

Example Sentences

She was ninth with Emollient in the Filly & Mare Turf; 12th on Mico Margarita in the Sprint; and 13th aboard Tourist in the Mile.

From Washington Times • Nov. 1, 2014

She won on Emollient and also won an earlier race.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 27, 2014

Bill Mott will oversee Emollient, who has won two of three starts this year.

From Seattle Times • May 17, 2013

They are Cataplasms and Plaisters Anodyn, Emollient, Resolvent, and Suppurative, which are us'd proportionably as in the Phlegmons.

From The Compleat Surgeon or, the whole Art of Surgery explain'd in a most familiar Method. by Le Clerc, Charles Gabriel

Dock, Oxylapathum, or ſharp-pointed Dock: Emollient, and tho' otherwiſe not for our Sallet, the Roots brewed in Ale or Beer, are excellent for the Scorbute.

From Acetaria: A Discourse of Sallets by Evelyn, John