poultice

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a soft, moist, often heated mass applied to the body to soothe inflammation, pain, or infection

   The nurse placed a warm poultice over the swollen joint.

2. 2
   verb

   to treat or cover a part of the body with a poultice

   They poulticed the infected finger until the swelling eased.

3. 3
   noun

   a porous absorbent material filled with solvent and used to draw stains from stone or masonry

   The conservator used a clay poultice to lift oil from the marble.

From Middle English pultes, from Latin pultes, the plural of puls, 'porridge or thick pap.' The medicinal preparation was named for its porridge-like consistency before the word broadened to absorbent pastes used in conservation.

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