poultice
Poultice (noun) means a soft, warm, moist paste — often wrapped in cloth — applied to a sore or aching part of the body to soothe it. Example: “Her grandmother swore by a mustard poultice for chest colds.”
How to use poultice
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA warm, mushy dressing you press onto a sore spot to draw out pain or infection.
Word forms
- Plural
- poultices
- Third person singular
- poultices
- Past tense
- poulticed
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Her grandmother swore by a mustard _____ for chest colds.
Etymology
From Latin pultes, "porridge" — the same root as the word "pulse" (as in edible legumes).