LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · neutersecond declension

fōmentum

fōmentum n (genitive fōmentī)
Classical[foːˈmɛn.tũː]Ecclesiastical[foˈmɛn.tum]

Meaning

  1. plural normallyA warm application, lotion, compress or poultice, fomentation.
  2. broadlyKindling-wood, touchwood, tinder.
  3. figurativelyA remedy, lenitive, mitigation, alleviation.

Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers

medicāmentum dolōrem molliēns
fōmentum -ī (n) — in Epistulae, ch. 9

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativefōmentumfōmenta
genitivefōmentīfōmentōrum
dativefōmentōfōmentīs
accusativefōmentumfōmenta
ablativefōmentōfōmentīs
vocativefōmentumfōmenta

fōmentum, i, n. contr. from fovimentum from foveo,
I. a warm application, warm lotion or poultice, fomentation.
I. Lit.: calida, Cels. 2, 17 med.: aquae calidae, id. 8, 10, 7: calida, sicca, id. 3, 11 init.; 4, 14; cf. Suet. Aug. 81: assideat, fomenta paret, Hor. S. 1, 1, 82: adhibere, Col. 6, 30, 3: (juvant) fomenta podagrum, Hor. Ep. 1, 2, 52: fomenta vulneribus nulla, i. e. bandages (before, ligamenta), Tac. A. 15, 55.—
B. Transf., for fomes, touch-wood, kindling-wood: se ex arboribus fomenta excidisse, Clod. ap. Serv. Verg. A. 1, 176: fomenta ignium varia, Amm. 20, 7, 12.—
II. Trop.
A. A lenitive, mitigation, alleviation: haec sunt solatia, haec fomenta summorum dolorum, Cic. Tusc. 2, 24, 59; cf.: patentiae, fortitudinis fomentis dolor mitigari solet, id. Fin. 2, 29, 95: militaribus animis adhibenda fomenta, ut ferre pacem velint, Tac. A. 1, 46: paupertati suae fomenta conquirere, App. M. 2, p. 124; Quint. 4, 3, 10: ut haec ingrata ventis dividat Fomenta, vulnus nil malum levantia, i. e. consolations, Hor. Epod. 11, 17.—
B. Poet. transf., nourishment: quodsi frigida curarum fomenta relinquere posses, Hor. Ep. 1, 3, 26.

Origins

Contraction of *fovimentum, from foveō (“keep warm; support, assist”) + -mentum (compare mōmentum, from moveō).

Descendants
  • Catalanfoment
  • Italianfomento
  • Portuguesefomento
  • Spanishfomento
  • Galicianfomento
  • Sicilianfumentu

In English words that came into English from fōmentum

  • fomentfōmentō
  • fomentationfōmentātiō

Quick answers

What does fōmentum mean in Latin?
fōmentum, a noun, means “A warm application, lotion, compress or poultice, fomentation.; Kindling-wood, touchwood, tinder.; A remedy, lenitive, mitigation, alleviation.”.
What is the genitive of fōmentum?
The genitive singular is fōmentī. fōmentum is neuter, second declension.
How do you pronounce fōmentum?
In classical Latin, [foːˈmɛn.tũː]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [foˈmɛn.tum].