fomentation

Meanings

1. The act of fomenting; the application of warm, soft, medicinal substances, as for the purpose of easing pain by relaxing the skin, or of discussing (dispersing) tumours.
2. A lotion or poultice applied to a diseased or injured part of the body.
3. Encouragement; excitation; instigation.

Etymology

From Middle English fōmentāciǒun (“act of fomenting; lotion or poultice applied to a diseased part of the body”), from Late Latin fōmentātiō, fōmentātiōnem, from fōmentāre (from fōmentum (“lotion; compress, poultice; warm application; fomentation”), from foveō (“to warm, keep warm; to cherish, nurture; to bathe, foment”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *dʰegʷʰ- (“to burn; warm, hot”)) + -ātiō, -ātiōnem (suffix forming a noun relating to some action or the result of an action); analysable as foment + -ation.