emollient

emollient
1. Soothing to the skin or mucous membrane. 2. An agent that softens the skin or soothes irritation in the skin or mucous membrane. SYN: malactic. [L. emolliens, pres. p. of e- mollio, emollire, to soften]

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emol·lient i-'mäl-yənt adj making soft or supple also soothing esp. to the skin or mucous membrane
emollient n an emollient agent <an \emollient for the hands>

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n.
an agent that soothes and softens the skin. Emollients are fats and oils, such as lanolin and liquid paraffin; they are used alone as moisturizers to lessen the need for active drug therapy (such as corticosteroids for eczema) and in skin preparations as a base for a more active drug, such as an antibiotic.

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emol·li·ent (e-molґe-ənt) [L. emolliens softening, from e out + mollis soft] 1. softening or soothing; called also malactic. 2. an agent which softens or soothes the skin, or soothes an irritated internal surface; called also malagma.

Medical dictionary. 2011.

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  • émollient — émollient, iente [ emɔljɑ̃, jɑ̃t ] adj. • 1549; lat. emolliens, p. prés. de emollire « amollir » ♦ Méd. Qui a pour effet d amollir, de relâcher des tissus enflammés. ⇒ adoucissant. Remède, emplâtre émollient. N. m. Un émollient. ⊗ CONTR.… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Emollient — Émollient Voir « Émollient » sur le Wiktionnaire …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Emollient — E*mol lient (?; 106), a. [L. emolliens, entis, p. pr. of emollire to soften; e out + mollire to soften, mollis soft: cf. F. [ e]mollient. See {Mollify}.] Softening; making supple; acting as an emollient. Emollient applications. Arbuthnot. [1913… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • émollient — émollient, ente (é mo li an, an t ) adj. Terme de médecine. Qui a la propriété de relâcher, de ramollir les parties enflammées. Cataplasme émollient.    Terme de pharmacie. Espèces émollientes, les feuilles sèches de mauve, de guimauve, de molène …   Dictionnaire de la Langue Française d'Émile Littré

  • émollient — ÉMOLLIENT, ENTE. adj. Terme de Médecine. Qui amollit. Remède émollient. Emplâtre émollient. [b]f♛/b] Il se prend aussi substantivement. Faire usage des émolliens …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie Française 1798

  • emollient — (adj.) 1640s, from Fr. émollient (16c.), from L. emollientem (nom. emolliens), prp. of emollire soften, from ex out (see EX (Cf. ex )) + mollire soften, from mollis soft (see MELT (Cf …   Etymology dictionary

  • emollient — [adj] soothing balsamic, demulcent, healing, lenitive, palliative, relieving, remedial, softening; concepts 7,22,110,384 emollient [n] lotion balm, cream, lenitive, liniment, moisturizer, oil, ointment, salve, soothing agent, unguent; concepts… …   New thesaurus

  • emollient — Emollient, [emolli]ente. adj. Terme de medecine. Qui amollit. Remede emollient. emplastre emolliente …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie française

  • emollient — ► ADJECTIVE 1) having the quality of softening or soothing the skin. 2) attempting to avoid confrontation or anger; calming. ► NOUN ▪ an emollient substance. DERIVATIVES emollience noun. ORIGIN from Latin emollire make soft …   English terms dictionary

  • emollient — [ē mäl′yənt, ē mäl′ē ənt; imäl′yənt, imäl′ē ənt; ] also [, ēmōl′yənt, ēmōl′ē ənt; imōl′yənt, imōl′ē ənt] adj. [L emolliens, prp. of emollire, to soften < e out + mollire, to soften < mollis, soft: see MILL1] softening; soothing n. something …   English World dictionary

  • Emollient — E*mol lient (?; 105), n. (Med.) An external something or soothing application to allay irritation, soreness, etc. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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