salve

Definition

An ointment, cream, or balm with soothing, healing, or calming effects.

Etymology

From Middle English salve, from Old English sealf, from Proto-West Germanic *salbu, from Proto-Germanic *salbō, from Proto-Indo-European *solp-éh₂, from *selp- (“salve, ointment”). Cognates Cognate with Middle Low German salve (Danish salve, Dutch zalf), Old High German salba (German Salbe), Gothic 𐍃𐌰𐌻𐌱𐍉𐌽𐍃 (salbōns), Albanian gjalpë (“butter”), Sanskrit सर्पिस् (sarpís), Ancient Greek ἔλπος (élpos).

Example Sentences

• "Your forgiveness was a salve to my conscience and a balm to my wounded ego."
• "[Title:] Tame March PCE inflation no salve after downbeat Q1 US GDP report"