embrocation

[prettygoodword]

embrocation (em-broh-KAY-shuhn) - n., a liniment or lotion.


Also the act of applying a liniment or lotion to the skin, but the verb embrocate is (even) more rare and so not helpful here. This is a surprisingly old word, dating to Middle English form embrocacioun, from Middle French embrocacion, from Medieval Latin embrocation, from Late Latin embrocare, to rub with lotion, from Greek embroche lotion, from en- + brechein, to wet. My embrocation of choice:


Thanks, WikiMedia!

(TIL that Tiger Balm was developed in the 1870s in Rangoon, Burma, by a Fujian-born herbalist; the company moved to Singapore in the 1920s because of troubles with local officials of the British colonial government.)

---L.

Comments

[seapicklesupremacy]

OMG TIGER BALM :O Literally a blast to the past to my childhood hahah, my parents loveddd this stuff back in the day when we got sick/got a cough

Such a strong scent, but super refreshing. Great stuff

[prettygoodword]

Haven't used it for respiratory stuff -- that's what Vick's Vapor Rub is for -- just muscle aches.

[med_cat]

What a fun word; thanks!

D'you know we had a similar ointment?

"Little Star" balm, came in small metal tins

https://borschandbeyond.com/products/golden-star-balm-zvezdochka-4g

[prettygoodword]

That looks very similar.

[med_cat]

Yup and the composition is very similar. We used it like Vick's VapoRub, though.