petrolatum Meaning, Definition & Usage

noun a semisolid mixture of hydrocarbons obtained from petroleum; used in medicinal ointments and for lubrication
mineral jelly; petroleum jelly.

(Chem. & Pharm.) A semisolid unctuous substance, neutral, and without taste or odor, derived from petroleum by distilling off the lighter portions and purifying the residue. It is a yellowish, fatlike mass, transparent in thin layers, and somewhat fluorescent. It is used as a bland protective dressing, and as a substitute for fatty materials in ointments. U. S. Pharm. ✍ Petrolatum is the official name for the purified product. Cosmoline and vaseline are commercial names for substances essentially the same, but differing slightly in appearance and consistency or fusibility.