Dictionary
pet•ro•la•tum
Pronunciation: (pe"tru-lā'tum, -lä'-), [key]—
n.
a yellowish or whitish, translucent, gelatinous, oily, semisolid, amorphous mass obtained from petroleum: used as a lubricant, rust preventive, in the manufacture of cosmetics, and in medicine as a protective dressing, emollient, and ointment base. Also called
petro'leum jel'ly. Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.