Oint

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. Archaic form meaning to smear or rub a person or object with oil or ointment, often as a religious or ceremonial act
2. To apply a greasy or medicinal substance to the surface of someone or something, usually in a ritual or healing context
3. Dialect and archaic verb for anointing, meaning to spread oil or salve over a body or thing as a sacred gesture

Etymology: The past participle of an old French verb is still hiding in this word. "Oint" comes from Old French "oint," the past participle of "oindre," meaning "to anoint" or "to smear with oil." That verb descends from Latin "unguere," which meant "to smear" or "to grease," and it is the same root behind "unguent," a term for a soothing salve or ointment. English borrowed the word in Middle English, first through Anglo-Norman, where it kept the sense of a smeared-on substance. Over time, the verb "anoint" and the noun "ointment" grew up around the same root, while "oint" as a standalone word faded from everyday use. Its survival today is mostly as a relic, seen in older religious and literary contexts.