Rosewaters

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A flavored water that is infused with the essence of rose petals, often used in culinary dishes and beverages
2. A fragrant liquid made by distilling rose petals, commonly employed in cosmetics and traditional medicine
3. A sweet, aromatic substance derived from roses, utilized in both food and beauty products for its scent and flavor

Etymology: "Rosewaters" is simply the plural of "rosewater," a liquid made by steeping or distilling rose petals in water. The base word is a plain compound of "rose" and "water," and the plural form refers to several such preparations or several portions of it. The sense of the compound is literal: the liquid carries the scent of the flower it came from. Its use in cooking and cosmetics reflects the long practice of distilling fragrance from petals, which is why the word describes a substance rather than the flower itself.