poultice

[pohl-tis]

noun

1. a soft, moist mass of cloth, bread, meal, herbs, etc., applied hot as a medicament to the body.

verb (used with object)

poulticed, poulticing 

1. to apply a poultice to.

poultice

/ ˈpəʊltɪs /

noun

1. Also called: cataplasm. med a local moist and often heated application for the skin consisting of substances such as kaolin, linseed, or mustard, used to improve the circulation, treat inflamed areas, etc

2. slang,  a large sum of money, esp a debt

Other Word Forms

• unpoulticed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of poultice¹

1535–45; earlier pultes, plural (taken as singular) of Latin puls (stem pult- ) thick pap. See pulse ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of poultice¹

C16: from earlier pultes, from Latin puls a thick porridge

Example Sentences

I was a middle-class kid from New Jersey, but like a poultice, this ancient, colonized country drew out an answering difference from my bones.

From Salon

His elderly mother rode with him, and everyone went to her for herbal poultices, headache remedies, and love advice.

From Literature

After researchers saw Rakus applying the plant poultice to his face, the wound closed up and healed in a month.

From BBC

Shifa was mixing up a poultice as a boy sat talking to her.

From Literature

She continued practicing medicine there and tending her garden, likely growing the herbs that are used in her remedies and ointments, poultices, and teas.

From Scientific American