lozenge
UK[ˈlɒzɪndʒ]US[ˈlɑːzɪndʒ]
n
a small, often medicated candy, typically in the shape of a diamond or square, designed to be dissolved slowly in the mouth to soothe a sore throat.
n
a diamond-shaped figure or object.
Etymology
the word 'lozenge' entered english in the 14th century from the old french 'losenge', meaning a small slab of stone or a diamond-shaped pane of glass. the old french term likely derives from a pre-romance source, perhaps a gaulish word related to a flat stone, which influenced the vulgar latin 'lausiae' for stone slabs. the geometric sense of a diamond shape came first, from the shape of these stone tiles, and was later applied to heraldry. the medicinal sense, for a small, diamond-shaped tablet, emerged in the 16th century, solidifying the connection between the shape and the object.
Analysis
the word is a simplex loanword. it does not contain separable morphemes in its modern english form.
Examples
she sucked on a menthol lozenge to ease her persistent cough.
the family crest featured a red lozenge on a field of gold.
the pharmacist recommended throat lozenges made with honey and lemon.