zit creamnoun
Factsheet
What does the noun zit cream mean?
There is one meaning in OED's entry for the noun zit cream. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definition, usage, and quotation evidence.
How common is the noun zit cream?
| 1970 | 0.0007 |
| 1980 | 0.0011 |
| 1990 | 0.0011 |
| 2000 | 0.0011 |
| 2010 | 0.0014 |
Where does the noun zit cream come from?
Earliest known use
1960s
The earliest known use of the noun zit cream is in the 1960s.
OED's earliest evidence for zit cream is from 1968, in Bluestocking.
Nearby entries
- zirconite, n.1806–
- zirconitic, adj.1883–
- zirconium, n.1808–
- zircon-like, adj.1857–
- zircono-, comb. form
- zirconolite, n.1957–
- zircon-syenite, n.1813–
- zirconyl, n.1887–
- zirkelite, n.1895–
- zit, n.1912–
- zit cream, n.1968–
- zitella, n.a1660–
- zit-face, n.1974–
- zit-faced, adj.1971–
- zither, n.1831–
- zither, v.1889–
- zither banjo, n.1888–
- zithering, adj.1889–
- zitherist, n.1866–
- zither-like, adj.1881–
- ziti, n.1845–
Meaning & use
- 1968–A preparation used to treat pimples; spot cream.
- 1968
Zit cream and rollers on a date?
Bluestocking (Mary Baldwin Coll., Virginia) 215 - 1997
The zit-cream commercials with their false promises of clear skin and a happy social life.
D. Haynes, All Amer. Dream Dolls xiii. 210 - 2010
You know what you'd like to do—pick, poke, prod, push and even plaster that pesky pimple with an arsenal of possibly expired zit cream.
Morning Bulletin (Rockhampton, Queensland) (Nexis) 23 June 27
the world health healing medicines or physic medicines of specific form ointments, etc. [nouns] ointment specific- eye salveOld English–Medicinal ointment for the eyes. Also figurative and in figurative contexts (frequently with allusion to Revelation 3:18; see quot. 1526).
- diachylon1313–Originally, the name of a kind of ointment composed of vegetable juices; now a common name for lead-plaster, emplastrum plumbi, an adhesive plaster…
- populeona1398–1790An ointment containing buds of the black poplar (Populus nigra) and other herbs, used to relieve pain, inflammation, and itching.
- euphorbinec1400Some product of the euphorbia.
- marciaton?a1425–1847A kind of ointment, used esp. to treat pain in the joints.
- nerval?c1450–1612A medicinal ointment for the sinews.
- basilicon?1541–Name given to several ointments supposed to possess ‘sovereign’ virtues.
- pilgrim-salvec1565–1798An ointment made from gelatin or animal fat; (euphemistic) dirt, filth, excrement.
- nerve oil1592–1846An oil applied topically as a treatment for strained tendons (cf. nerval, n.).
- A purifying ointment composed of twelve ingredients.
- blue ointment1721–Ointment containing mercury (in the form of quicksilver), used esp. in the treatment of syphilitic skin disease; cf. blue butter, n.
- Turner's cerate1741–An ointment consisting of calamine, wax, and a fat such as butter, olive oil, or lard (or a mixture of these), used as a dressing to treat skin…
- yellow basilicon1746–(More fully yellow basilicon ointment) any of various ointments typically containing wax and resin, used to promote suppuration and the healing of…
- citron ointment1783–1861= citrine ointment, n.
- litharge-plaster1789–= diachylon, n.
- Kalydor1824–(The proprietary name of) a type of skin tonic of which almond oil forms the basis.
- blue butter1838–= blue ointment, n.
- Holloway's ointment1838–Holloway's pill, a patent medicine used principally for laxative purposes. Also Holloway's ointment.
- lip balm1853–Ointment that is applied to the lips to prevent or soothe soreness, dryness, and cracking. Also: a stick or tub of this. Cf. chapstick, n.
- lead-plaster1865–= diachylon, n.
- chapstick1891–A proprietary name for: a small stick or tub of ointment that is applied to the lips to prevent or soothe soreness, dryness, and cracking. Also: the…
- Gypsy Cream1908–a. An ointment intended to treat minor skin irritation caused by contact with the hairs of the gypsy moth larva (obsolete rare); b. (chiefly British)…
- wool-wax1911–a. = suint, n.; b. = lanolin, n.
- barrier cream1950–A protective cream for the skin.
- zit cream1968–A preparation used to treat pimples; spot cream.
Frequency
zit cream typically occurs fewer than 0.01 times per million words in modern written English.
zit cream is in frequency band 2, which contains words occurring between 0.001 and 0.01 times per million words in modern written English. More about OED's frequency bands
Frequency of zit cream, n., 1970–2010
* Occurrences per million words in written English
Historical frequency series are derived from Google Books Ngrams (version 2), a data set based on the Google Books corpus of several million books printed in English between 1500 and 2010.
The overall frequency for a given word is calculated by summing frequencies for the main form of the word, any plural or inflected forms, and any major spelling variations.
For sets of homographs (distinct entries that share the same word-form, e.g. mole, n.¹, mole, n.², mole, n.³, etc.), we have estimated the frequency of each homograph entry as a fraction of the total Ngrams frequency for the word-form. This may result in inaccuracies.
Smoothing has been applied to series for lower-frequency words, using a moving-average algorithm. This reduces short-term fluctuations, which may be produced by variability in the content of the Google Books corpus.
| Decade | Frequency per million words |
|---|---|
| 1970 | 0.0007 |
| 1980 | 0.0011 |
| 1990 | 0.0011 |
| 2000 | 0.0011 |
| 2010 | 0.0014 |