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salve

1
[ sav, sahv ]
/ sév, sɑv /
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See synonyms for: salve / salved on Thesaurus.com

noun
a medicinal ointment for healing or relieving wounds and sores.
anything that soothes, mollifies, or relieves.
verb (used with object), salved, salv·ing.
to soothe with or as if with salve; assuage: to salve one's conscience.
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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 definitions for salve (2 of 3)

salve2
[ salv ]
/ sĂŠlv /

verb (used with or without object), salved, salv·ing.
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 ]
/ ˈsĂŠl vi; Latin ˈsɑl weÉȘ /

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. 2023

How to use salve in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for salve (1 of 2)

salve1
/ (sélv, sɑːv) /

noun
an ointment for wounds, sores, etc
anything that heals or soothes
verb (tr)
to apply salve to (a wound, sore, etc)
to soothe, comfort, or appease

Word Origin for salve

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

British Dictionary definitions for salve (2 of 2)

salve2
/ (sĂŠlv) /

verb
a less common word for salvage
an archaic word for save 1 (def. 3)

Word Origin for salve

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
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