petrolatum

[pe-truh-ley-tuh m, -lah-]

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.

Origin of petrolatum

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

Also called petroleum jelly.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for petroleum jelly

petroleum jelly

noun

another name for petrolatum

petrolatum

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

petroleum jelly in Medicine

petroleum jelly

n.

A colorless-to-amber semisolid mixture of hydrocarbons obtained from petroleum and used in medicinal ointments.petrolatum

petrolatum

[pĕt′rə-lā′təm]

n.

petroleum jelly