cerate

Meanings

1. 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.
2. The anion CeO₃²⁻ of cerium.

Etymology

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