ointment
Americannoun
-
ointments
plural
noun
-
a fatty or oily medicated formulation applied to the skin to heal or protect
-
a similar substance used as a cosmetic
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of ointment
1250–1300; obsolete oint (aphetic variant of anoint ) + -ment; replacing Middle English oignement < Old French < Vulgar Latin *unguimentum for Latin unguentum; see unguent
Explanation
Ointment is an oily kind of cream that you use to soothe or heal your skin. You might want to apply a bit of ointment to that festering flesh wound on your forehead. Just saying. Ointment is viscous — in other words, it's somewhere between a solid and a liquid, with a slippery, oily texture. Some medications come in ointment form, while other ointments might be lip balm, a moisturizer for dry skin, or even a cosmetic. The Old French oignement came from the Latin unguentum, from the stem unguere, "to anoint or salve."
Vocabulary lists containing ointment
"Be Prepared" by Vera Brosgol
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Pharmacy Words
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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.
See Examples For:
Her mother, Koushila, had first taken her to a doctor, who prescribed an ointment.
From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026
But even here there is a fly in the ointment, since consumer staples is a defensive sector that tends to produce its best relative performance when the market is about to decline.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 30, 2026
The vitamin K shot is one of the three main interventions, along with the hepatitis B vaccine and an antibiotic ointment in the eyes, that newborns typically receive before leaving the hospital.
From Salon ● May 7, 2026
The human-headed fly in the ointment is the island itself, which is a supernatural smorgasbord, mostly quiet but waking up just in time to meet the visitors.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 28, 2026
He’s holding a tube of zinc ointment in one hand and is dabbing Rosie’s punctured skin.
From "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen
Little wonder, then, that many patients preferred the services of women healers, or would take a risk on “quacks”—traveling salesmen selling ointments from town to town—rather than risk a visit to a hospital.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 6, 2026
Based on their findings, the researchers advise clinicians to avoid using petrolatum-based eye ointments in patients with MicroShunt implants, especially when the device is exposed outside the conjunctiva.
From Science Daily ● Jan. 16, 2026
The family obtained Metanium on prescription after a range of other ointments proved unsatisfactory, but their supply is almost exhausted.
From BBC ● Jan. 22, 2025
For more severe discomfort, Hu suggests using thicker lubricating gels or ointments at bedtime, though these may temporarily blur vision.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 10, 2025
With fumbling hands, the old man lit a candle and carried it to the workroom beneath the rookery stair, where his ointments, potions, and medicines stood neatly on their shelves.
From "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin
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