salve

1
[ sav, sahv ]
See synonyms for: salvesalved on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. a medicinal ointment for healing or relieving wounds and sores.

  2. anything that soothes, mollifies, or relieves.

verb (used with object),salved, salv·ing.
  1. to soothe with or as if with salve; assuage: to salve one's conscience.

Origin of salve

1
First recorded before 900; Middle English noun salve, salwe, salf(e), Old English sealf, salf; cognate with German Salbe “ointment, salve,” Sanskrit sarpís “melted butter, fat”; verb derivative of the noun

Other words for salve

Words Nearby salve

Other definitions for salve (2 of 3)

salve2
[ salv ]

verb (used with or without object),salved, salv·ing.
  1. to save from loss or destruction; to salvage.

Origin of salve

2
First recorded in 1700–10; back formation from salvage

Other definitions for salve (3 of 3)

salve3
[ sal-vee; Latin sahl-wey ]

interjection

Origin of salve

3
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin salvē! literally, “be in good health!”; cf. salute

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use salve in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for salve (1 of 2)

salve1

/ (sælv, sɑːv) /


noun
  1. an ointment for wounds, sores, etc

  2. anything that heals or soothes

verb(tr)
  1. to apply salve to (a wound, sore, etc)

  2. to soothe, comfort, or appease

Origin of salve

1
Old English sealf; related to Old High German salba, Greek elpos oil, Sanskrit sarpis lard

British Dictionary definitions for salve (2 of 2)

salve2

/ (sælv) /


verb
  1. a less common word for salvage

  2. an archaic word for save 1 (def. 3)

Origin of salve

2
C18: from salvage

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