the.com/emollient
A word that softens skin and sentences, often at the exact same time.
means A substance that softens and soothes skin — or, figuratively, language or behavior designed to calm tempers and smooth over conflict.
from From Latin 'emollire,' to soften, built from the prefix 'e-' (out, thoroughly) plus 'mollire' (to soften), itself from 'mollis' (soft) — the same root behind 'mollify' and 'mollusk' (soft-bodied creature). The word entered English in the 1600s as a medical term for skin-softening ointments, and only later picked up its figurative sense for words or gestures that take the sting out of a hard situation.
- literal use
- Skincare term for softening and soothing agents
- figurative use
- Describes words or gestures meant to placate anger
- etymology
- From Latin mollire, to soften
- common pairing
- Often modifies tone, gesture, or diplomatic language