Definition

Noun: 1. A small, often medicated candy: A lozenge is a small, solid piece of medicine or a soothing substance, usually flavored, designed to be dissolved slowly in the mouth to relieve a sore throat or cough. 2. A rhombus or diamond shape: In geometry and heraldry, a lozenge is a diamond-shaped figure with four equal sides and two acute and two obtuse angles.

Examples of Usage

• Medicated Candy:
  • For a dry cough, try sucking on a menthol lozenge.
  • The doctor recommended throat lozenges to soothe the irritation.
• Geometric Shape:
  • The pattern on the floor was composed of interlocking lozenges.
  • In heraldry, a shield shaped like a diamond is called a lozenge.

Advanced Usage

• "Pastille": A synonym often used for a medicated lozenge, especially one that is softer or contains glycerin.
  • The herbal pastille was effective for my hoarse voice.
• "Troche": A specific pharmaceutical term for a medicated lozenge, typically a flat, circular disc.
  • The antifungal medication was administered as a troche.

Variants and Related Words

• Cough drop: A common term for a throat lozenge intended to suppress coughing.
• Tablet: A solid dose of medicine, but typically meant to be swallowed whole with water, not dissolved in the mouth like a lozenge.
• Rhombus: The geometric term for an equilateral parallelogram, synonymous with the shape meaning of "lozenge."

Synonyms

• For the candy: Pastille, drop, troche.
• For the shape: Rhombus, diamond.

Related Phrases

• Throat lozenge: The most common compound phrase, specifying the lozenge's purpose.
  • Always keep some throat lozenges in your bag during cold season.

Noun

1. a dose of medicine in the form of a small pellet
2. a small aromatic or medicated candy