cerate

C3E1R1A1T1E1

noun

An unctuous preparation for external application — mainly wax (or resin or spermaceti) mixed with oil, lard, and various medicinal ingredients — of a consistency between ointment and plaster, so that it can be spread upon cloth without the use of heat, but does not melt when applied to the skin.

OriginMiddle English cerate ← Latin cērātum →
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Meanings

nouncerate (plural cerates)

plural cerates

  1. archaichistoricalmedicineAn unctuous preparation for external application — mainly wax (or resin or spermaceti) mixed with oil, lard, and various medicinal ingredients — of a consistency between ointment and plaster, so that it can be spread upon cloth without the use of heat, but does not melt when applied to the skin.
  2. chemistryThe anion CeO₃²⁻ of cerium.

Origin

  1. Latincērātum
  2. Middle Englishcerate
  3. Englishcerate

From Middle English cerate, cerote, from Latin cērātum, from cēra (“wax”), see -ate (noun-forming suffix)

More words from Middle English, Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan cereta
  • ceretaunctuous preparation
French cérat, cérate
  • cératunctuous preparation
  • cératechemistry
Indonesian lilin
  • lilinunctuous preparation

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

createtraceeecarteCarteeTarece
Cite this entry
APA

cerate. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cerate

MLA

“cerate.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cerate. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “cerate,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cerate.

Source: cerate on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.