Neatsfoot

Part of speech: noun, adjective

Definitions

1. A pale yellowish oil pressed or rendered from the feet and shin bones of cattle, used to soften and waterproof leather
2. Oil obtained by boiling the hooves and bones of cows, traditionally applied to keep leather supple and protected
3. The fatty oil extracted from the shinbones and hooves of oxen, prized as a conditioner for saddles, boots and other leather goods

Etymology: Neatsfoot oil is made by boiling the feet and shin bones of cattle, and the name is literal: it is "neat" (an old word for cattle, the same root that survives in "neat" cattle sense in older English) plus a linking "-s-" plus "foot." The compound describes exactly what goes into it, a product rendered from the lower legs of cows, rather than a figure of speech. The "-s-" in the middle is a connecting element found in several old English compounds, and it is the reason the word looks slightly unfamiliar. Cattle-based terms of this kind were once common in farming and leatherwork, where the oil was prized for keeping leather supple and waterproof. The word is a plain, transparent compound, so there is little more to unpack beyond the parts themselves.