liniment

noun

lin·​i·​ment ˈli-nə-mənt How to pronounce liniment (audio)
: a liquid or semiliquid preparation that is applied to the skin as an anodyne or a counterirritant
For four or five days afterward, she felt poorly. Friends came to see about her. Some made camomile tea; others rubbed her with linimentToni Morrison
… after your walk, soak your feet in warm, not hot, water, followed with some kind of cooling liniment.Prevention

Examples of liniment in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web In his encyclopedic Naturalis Historia, the Roman naturalist Pliny the Elder suggests that urine might be used as a cure for gout or scorpion stings, or, when kneaded with ashes, a liniment for the bite of a mad dog. Justin Beal, Harper's Magazine, 14 Dec. 2022 Other terpenes such as pinene, linalool, limonene and the sesquiterpene, beta-caryophyllene are pain relievers, especially when applied directly to the skin as a liniment. James David Adams, Discover Magazine, 25 Mar. 2019 The only constant was the way people put on their stickers: all of them with such tenderness as if rubbing liniment into the injustice. Steve Hartman, CBS News, 30 Oct. 2020 Elixir bottles can be exchanged for wellness liniments of equal or lesser value. Evan Waite, The New Yorker, 19 May 2020 With the patent medicine business in its prime, elixirs and liniments promised relief from every complaint under the sun. Lloyd Minor, Fortune, 9 Sep. 2019 Pheeranut and Tapanat, who had driven separately from Bangkok, waited in a trainer’s room that smelled of liniment. Shashank Bengalistaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 30 July 2019 In other words, Varejao endorsed the use of arnica do mato as a liniment. Scott Cacciola, New York Times, 4 May 2016

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'liniment.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Late Latin linimentum, from Latin linere to smear — more at lime

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of liniment was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near liniment

Cite this Entry

“Liniment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/liniment. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

liniment

noun
lin·​i·​ment ˈlin-ə-mənt How to pronounce liniment (audio)
: a liquid medicine rubbed on the skin especially to relieve pain

Medical Definition

liniment

noun
lin·​i·​ment ˈlin-ə-mənt How to pronounce liniment (audio)
: a liquid or semiliquid preparation that is applied to the skin as an anodyne or a counterirritant

called also embrocation

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