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

Some families are also rejecting the eye ointment.

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

In three cases, the MicroShunt was exposed outside the conjunctiva and patients were treated with a petrolatum-based eye ointment.

From Science Daily • Jan. 16, 2026

There are two potential flies in the ointment.

From Barron's • Jan. 10, 2026

"Maybe I'll put some of the burn ointment on it. I think it helps with infection anyway. And wrap it up?"

From "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins

Related Words

• balm
• lotion
• salve