liniment

noun, verb — 2 senses

liniment

noun

/ˈlɪnəmənt/

Etymology From Middle English lynyment (“something used for smearing or anointing”), a learned borrowing from Late Latin linīmentum.

1

A topical medical preparation intended to be rubbed into the skin with friction, as for example to relieve symptoms of arthritis.

  • Denton (Dan Duryea): You're a peddler, aren't you? / Henry J. Fate (Malcolm Atterbury): Oh yes, dealer in everything. Utensils, herbs, medicine, liniments and tonics, farm implements, clothing, and potions.1959, “Mr. Denton on Doomsday” (16:29 from the start), in The Twilight Zone, season 1, episode 3, spoken by Henry J. Fate (Malcolm Atterbury):
  • He had a blanket across his withers and wore four bandages, the two front ones up over his knees. The odor of liniment was strong. The horse dragged his feet laboriously.1975 September 5, Red Smith, quoting Phil Bieber, “Lyin’ Fitz, the Beautiful Dreamer”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 13 Feb 2026, page 21, columns 2–3:

liniment

verb

Etymology From Middle English lynyment (“something used for smearing or anointing”), a learned borrowing from Late Latin linīmentum.

1

To apply liniment to.

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.