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word of the day

The word for today is…

emollient (noun) – 1. An agent that softens or soothes the skin.

  1. An agent that assuages or mollifies.

Source : The Free Dictionary

Etymology : Emollient derives from the present participle of the Latin verb emollire, which, unsurprisingly, means “to soften or soothe.” Emollire, in turn, derives ultimately from mollis, meaning “soft.” Another descendant of mollis is mollify (essentially meaning “to make softer in temper or disposition”). A more distant relative is mild, which can be traced back to the same ancient source as mollis. The adjective emollient first appeared in print in English in the early 1600s; the noun arrived on the scene soon after.

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