pomade

Where does the word "pomade" come from? It comes from Latin pomum, passing through Italian and French before entering English (1560s).

Pomade’s story begins in Latin: pomum meant “fruit, apple.” A plain word for fruit or apple. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Italian as pomata. Named an ointment originally made with mashed apples. From there it passed into French as pommade by 1500s. Borrowed for a perfumed hair and skin ointment. It reached English by 1560s as pomade. Adopted for a scented styling ointment for the hair. Today, pomade means a perfumed ointment used to style and condition the hair.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient pomum "fruit, apple", a plain word for fruit or apple.
2. Stage 2 · Italian · medieval pomata "an apple-based ointment", named an ointment originally made with mashed apples.
3. Stage 3 · French · 1500s pommade "an ointment", borrowed for a perfumed hair and skin ointment.
4. Stage 4 · English · 1560s pomade "a perfumed hair ointment", adopted for a scented styling ointment for the hair.