emollient

(e-mol’e-ent) [L. emol'liens softening, from ‘ out + mol'lis soft]. 1. Softening or soothing. An agent which softens or soothes the skin, or soothes an irritated internal surface. The principal emollients are gelatin, gum = arabic. starch, linseed, slippery elm, Irish mo , Iceland mo , and marshmallow.