Conditioner

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A substance applied to hair to improve its texture, moisture, and manageability by smoothing and detangling strands
2. A cosmetic product used after shampooing to enhance softness, reduce frizz, and protect hair from damage
3. A treatment formula designed to nourish hair, restore moisture balance, and facilitate easier styling and combing

Etymology: The most surprising thing about "conditioner" is how little of its history lies in the product itself: the word is simply "condition" with an agent suffix, and the suffix's own journey is longer than the noun. The suffix "-er" descends from a Latin "-arius" that passed through Old French "-ier" and Middle English "-er", and it reached English along a path that also produced words like "butcher" and "baker" in its everyday sense of a person who does something. "Condition" comes from the Latin "condicio", a word meaning an agreement or stipulation, and in English it has long meant a state or fitness as well as a requirement. Its sense of making something fit or suitable explains the product: a conditioner is literally whatever makes hair into a healthier state.

Synonyms: treatment, emollient, softener