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petrolatum

[ pe-truh-ley-tuhm, -lah- ]
/ ˌpɛ trəˈleɪ təm, -ˈlɑ- /

noun

a yellowish or whitish, translucent, gelatinous, oily, semisolid, amorphous mass obtained from petroleum: used as a lubricant, rust preventive, in the manufacture of cosmetics, and in medicine as a protective dressing, emollient, and ointment base.

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Also called petroleum jelly.

Origin of petrolatum

1885–90, Americanism;<New Latin; see petroleum, -ate2

Words nearby petrolatum

Petrograd, petrogram, petrograph, petrography, petrol, petrolatum, petrol bomb, petrolene, petrol engine, petroleum, petroleum benzin
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for petrolatum

British Dictionary definitions for petrolatum

petrolatum
/ (ˌpɛtrəˈleɪtəm) /

noun

a translucent gelatinous substance obtained from petroleum; used as a lubricant and in medicine as an ointment base and protective dressingAlso called: mineral jelly, petroleum jelly

Word Origin for petrolatum

C19: from petrol + Latin -atum -ate 1
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medical definitions for petrolatum

petrolatum
[ pĕt′rə-lā′təm ]

n.

petroleum jelly
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.