Embrocha

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A soothing liquid or liniment that is rubbed into the skin to ease aches, stiffness or soreness
2. An old-fashioned medicinal lotion applied by rubbing it over the body to relieve pain in muscles or joints
3. A medicated oil or lotion massaged into the skin to treat bruises, sprains and other minor aches

Etymology: In ancient Greek, "embrokhē" came from "embrekhein," meaning "to soak in" or "to wet thoroughly." It combined "en-" (in) with "brekhein" (to wet or rain upon). The original sense was physical: a liquid poured or rubbed onto the body, as opposed to a drink or a pill. Latin borrowed the Greek term as "embrocha" and "embrocatio," and medical writers carried it into their Latin texts. English adopted the Latin-based "embrocation" for the same kind of liniment, and "embrocha" survives as a rarer, more Latinate variant of that word, still meaning a lotion rubbed into sore muscles or joints.