How to Say "Cotton Wool" in French

ouate

/wat/feminine

Cotton wool in French is ouate or coton hydrophile.

Meaning: absorbent cotton (noun)

Ways to say it

“cotton wool” in French
French	IPA	Note
ouate	/wat/	feminine
coton hydrophile		masculine

coton hydrophile is the precise, technical term used in medical or pharmaceutical contexts.

Because ouate is a feminine mass noun, you use the partitive article de la to say 'some cotton wool' (de la ouate).

/wat/

Some linguists have attempted to link the word ouate to the Japanese word wata, which means 'raw cotton', though this remains an improbable theory due to the lack of historical contact.
The word hydrophile literally means 'water-loving'. While English speakers use 'absorbent' to describe the cotton, French uses a term that describes the material's attraction to water.
The word ouate is used in French to describe a specific type of 'padding' or 'wadding' used in quilts and clothing, not just the medical cotton wool found in a first aid kit.

Elle utilise du coton hydrophile pour nettoyer la peau.
She uses cotton wool to clean the skin.
T'as du coton pour enlever mon vernis à ongles ?
Do you have any cotton wool to remove my nail polish?
Il me faut de la ouate pour nettoyer la plaie.
I need some cotton wool to clean the wound.
Elle a utilisé de la ouate pour son maquillage.
She used some cotton wool for her makeup.
On peut mettre de la ouate dans ce petit pot.
We can put some cotton wool in this small jar.

In a pharmacy, looking for first aid supplies.

Sources

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