Taber's Medical Dictionary
petrolatum
(pe″trŏ-lāt′ŭm )
To hear audio pronunciation of this topic, purchase a subscription or log in.[ petroleum + -ate ]
A purified semisolid mixture of hydrocarbons obtained from petroleum. This occlusive substance is used as a base for ointments. It is not suitable for use as a vaginal lubricant because it is not miscible in body secretions.
SYN: SEE: soft paraffin
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Citation
Venes, Donald, editor. "Petrolatum." Taber's Medical Dictionary, 25th ed., F.A. Davis Company, 2025. Taber's Online, www.tabers.com/tabersonline/view/Tabers-Dictionary/731610/0/petrolatum.
Petrolatum. In: Venes DD, ed. Taber's Medical Dictionary. F.A. Davis Company; 2025. https://www.tabers.com/tabersonline/view/Tabers-Dictionary/731610/0/petrolatum. Accessed April 24, 2026.
Petrolatum. (2025). In Venes, D. (Ed.), Taber's Medical Dictionary (25th ed.). F.A. Davis Company. https://www.tabers.com/tabersonline/view/Tabers-Dictionary/731610/0/petrolatum
Petrolatum [Internet]. In: Venes DD, editors. Taber's Medical Dictionary. F.A. Davis Company; 2025. [cited 2026 April 24]. Available from: https://www.tabers.com/tabersonline/view/Tabers-Dictionary/731610/0/petrolatum.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
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T1 - petrolatum
ID - 731610
ED - Venes,Donald,
BT - Taber's Medical Dictionary
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PB - F.A. Davis Company
ET - 25
DB - Taber's Online
DP - Unbound Medicine
ER -