Ointment
//ˈɔɪntm(ə)nt// noun
noun ·Moderate ·College level
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A viscous preparation of oils and/or fats, usually containing medication, used as a treatment or as an emollient. countable, uncountable
"The doctor prescribed an antibiotic ointment for the wound."
- 2 toiletry consisting of any of various substances in the form of a thick liquid that have a soothing and moisturizing effect when applied to the skin wordnet
- 3 A substance used to anoint, as in religious rituals. countable, uncountable
- 4 semisolid preparation (usually containing a medicine) applied externally as a remedy or for soothing an irritation wordnet
Example
More examples"It's a good paying job, but the fly in the ointment is that I'll have to spend a lot of time traveling."
Etymology
A later form (as if oint + -ment) of Middle English oinement, borrowed from Old French oignement (“an anointing”), from oigner, oindre, ongier (“to anoint”), from Latin ung(u)ō (“I anoint”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₃engʷ- (“to smear, anoint”). Partly displaced native Old English sealf, whence modern salve.
Related phrases
More for "ointment"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.