emollient

See also émollient

English

WOTD - 26 August 2008    

Etymology

From Latin emolliēns, present active participle of ēmolliō (“make soft”), from e- + molliō, from mollis (“soft”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /ɪˈmɒl.ɪ.ənt/
• (US) IPA: /ɪˈmɑl.jənt/

• Audio (US)

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Noun

emollient (plural emollients)

1. Something which softens or lubricates the skin.
   • 2008, Carol A. Miller, Nursing for Wellness in Older Adults (Fifth edition), Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, p. 505,

     [T]he effectiveness of an emollient is based on its ability to prevent water evaporation, […]

2. Anything soothing the mind, or that makes something more acceptable.
   • 2004, David Mitchell, Cloud Atlas,

     Attentive conversation is an emollient I lack sorely aboard Prophetess & the doctor is a veritable polymath.

Translations

Something which softens or lubricates the skin.

French: émollient (fr) m. Hungarian: bőrápoló krém (hu)

Italian: emolliente m., demulcente m. (all senses)

Anything soothing

Italian: emolliente m., demulcente m. (all senses)

Adjective

emollient (comparative more emollient, superlative most emollient)

1. Moisturizing.
2. Soothing or mollifying.

Translations

Moisturizing

Bulgarian: овлажняващ (bg) Italian: emolliente (it) m.

Soothing; mollifying

Bulgarian: успокояващ (bg) Dutch: verzachtend (nl)

Italian: emolliente (it) m.

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Latin

Verb

ēmollient

1. third-person plural future active indicative of ēmolliō