deep-conditioning
UK[ˌdiːp kənˈdɪʃənɪŋ]US[ˌdiːp kənˈdɪʃənɪŋ]
n
A beauty treatment for the hair that involves applying a rich, moisturizing product to restore moisture, softness, and shine, especially to dry or damaged hair.
gerund or present participle
The process of treating hair with such a product.
Morpheme Breakdown
deep
condition
ing
deep
intensive
condition
to treat
ing
noun suffix/gerund
Etymology
The term is a modern compound from the beauty industry, formed in the mid-20th century. The word 'deep' is used in its intensive sense, borrowed from its Old English root meaning 'profound', to modify the process of 'conditioning'. 'Conditioning' itself derives from the Latin 'condicio', which evolved from a term for 'stipulation' or 'state' into a verb meaning to bring something into a good state. The compound 'deep-conditioning' thus logically describes an intensive, penetrating treatment designed to restore the hair to a healthy, improved state, emphasizing a more thorough process than regular conditioning.
Analysis
Structure: deep (intensive) + condition (to treat) + ing (noun suffix/gerund)
- deep: From Old English 'dēop' (adjective), meaning having great extension downward, profound, intense. In this compound, it functions as an intensifier, meaning 'thorough' or 'penetrating'.
- condition: From Latin 'condicio' (agreement, situation), via Old French. In this context, it functions as a verb root meaning to treat or improve the state of something, specifically hair.
- ing: From Old English '-ing', '-ung', a suffix forming nouns from verbs, indicating an action or its result.
Examples
She gives her hair a weekly deep-conditioning treatment to repair the damage from frequent coloring.
For best results, apply the mask and leave it on for 20 minutes as part of your deep-conditioning routine.
After a day at the beach, my hair desperately needs some deep-conditioning.