lotion
Americannoun
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Pharmacology. a liquid, usually aqueous or sometimes alcoholic preparation containing insoluble material in the form of a suspension or emulsion, intended for external application without rubbing, in such skin conditions as itching, infection, allergy, pain, or the like.
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a liquid cosmetic, usually containing agents for soothing or softening the skin, especially that of the face or hands.
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of lotion
1350–1400; Middle English locion < Latin lōtiōn- (stem of lōtiō ) a washing. See lotic, -ion
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
While on board, Christina Koch even asked Mission Control for help finding something essential: her favorite Honest hand lotion.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026
Scabies is not usually serious but does need to be treated, normally by applying an over-the-counter cream or lotion to the entire body, with the treatment repeated seven days later.
From BBC • Jan. 27, 2026
When his dad’s balance from his personal allowance started to go over the limit, Murguia had to use it to buy things such as shampoo and body lotion.
From MarketWatch • Nov. 14, 2025
“We had a few families that had children with eczema, and they needed a certain kind of lotion, and we were able to give out gift cards for that,” said organizer Brandon Lamar.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 9, 2025
The cabin smelled of bay rum aftershave lotion.
From "Secrets at Sea" by Richard Peck
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
