liniment

noun

lin·​i·​ment ˈli-nə-mənt How to pronounce liniment (audio)
Synonyms of linimentnext
: 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 liniment— Toni 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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
From tea towels, hats, and keychains to mugs, snacks, and horse liniment, there’s a little something for everyone. — Lennie Omalza, The Courier-Journal, 30 Apr. 2024 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

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

Browse Nearby Words

liniment
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Liniment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/liniment. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

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

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

More Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

What do SCOTUS, POTUS, and FLOTUS mean?

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

More Words with Remarkable Origins

Terroir, Oenophile, & Magnum: Ten Words About Wine

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments
See More

Popular Features

See More

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

What do SCOTUS, POTUS, and FLOTUS mean?

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
dog-in-disguise
Rhyme Disguise Quiz Pair up words that look different but sound alike.
See All