ointment
oint·ment/ˈɔɪn(t)m(ə)nt/noun
ointment is spelled O-I-N-T-M-E-N-T: 8 letters and 2 syllables (oint·ment). It appears about once in every 1 million words in written English, the 29,649th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, ointment means “A viscous preparation of oils and/or fats, usually containing medication, used as a treatment or as an emollient” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of ointment is ointments.
How many letters and syllables are in ointment?
| Letters | 8: O-I-N-T-M-E-N-T |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2: oint·ment |
| In writing | about once in every 1 million words; the 29,649th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is ointment?
Ointment appears about once in every 1 million words in written English, the 29,649th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce ointment?
- UK /ˈɔɪntm(ə)nt/
- UK [ˈɔ̃ɪ̃(n)ʔ.mɪ̃(n)ʔ]
- US /ˈɔɪn(t)m(ə)nt/
Ointment has 2 syllables, split oint·ment in writing.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-ointment.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of ointment
- ointments plural
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does ointment mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
A viscous preparation of oils and/or fats, usually containing medication, used as a treatment or as an emollient.
The doctor prescribed an antibiotic ointment for the wound.
- 2
A substance used to anoint, as in religious rituals.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Ointment in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
In the sense viscous preparation, usually containing medication:
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | pommade, onguent |
| German | Salbe, Balsam |
| Portuguese | pomada |
| Spanish | pomada, ungüento, mentisán, mentolato, mentolina |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does ointment come from?
A later form (as if oint + -ment) of Middle English oinement, borrowed from Old French oignement (“an anointing”), from oigner, oindre, ongier (“to anoint”), from Latin ung(u)ō (“I anoint”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₃engʷ- (“to smear, anoint”). Partly displaced native Old English sealf, whence modern salve.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).