Lozenges

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A tablet that melts in the mouth, which can relieve throat irritation or deliver a pleasant taste
2. A flat, disc-like item that dissolves orally for soothing sore throats or imparting flavor
3. A small, often sweet tablet meant to dissolve slowly in the mouth for comfort or flavor ; a diamond-shaped pattern or figure used decoratively on objects or textiles

Etymology: "Lozenges" is simply the plural of "lozenge", so the history belongs to the singular. In Old French, "losenge" meant a rhombus, a diamond-shaped figure, and English borrowed it in the Middle Ages with that same geometric sense. The shape is the link between the old meaning and the modern sweet: a flat, four-sided diamond pressed out of paste or sugar became the name for the small tablet itself, and the medicinal or flavoring use came later. The word's own origin is uncertain. Scholars have not settled where the Old French form came from, so the ultimate source remains an open question rather than a settled story.

Synonyms: pastilles, tablets, pills, medicines, cough drops

Antonyms: INVALID