ointment

American  

[oint-muhnt] / ˈɔɪnt mənt /

noun

Pharmacology.

1. a soft, unctuous preparation, often medicated, for application to the skin; unguent.

   Synonyms:

   nard, balm, salve

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ointment British  

/ ˈɔɪntmənt /

noun

1. a fatty or oily medicated formulation applied to the skin to heal or protect

2. a similar substance used as a cosmetic

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ointment Idioms  

1. see fly in the ointment.

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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."

Example Sentences

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

But dimly visible on the left, an ointment jar and a small mirror, emblems of her previous life of luxury and sin, appear to have been discarded, signaling her entry into a new, virtuous existence.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026

This finding indicates that direct contact with the ointment, rather than conjunctival exposure alone, is the primary cause of swelling.

From Science Daily • Jan. 16, 2026

There are two potential flies in the ointment.

From Barron's • Jan. 10, 2026

The first thing Will did was to make Lyra sit down, and then he took out the little pot of bloodmoss ointment and looked at the wound on her head.

From "The Amber Spyglass" by Philip Pullman

Related Words

• balm
• lotion
• salve