any of several plants of the genus Commiphora, especially C. opobalsamum and C. meccanensis, which yield a fragrant oleoresin.
Also called Mecca balsam. the resin itself, a turbid yellow, green, or brownish-red water-insoluble gluey liquid, used chiefly in perfumery.
a hybrid North American poplar, Populus gileadensis, cultivated as a shade tree.
any of several trees of the burseraceous genus Commiphora , esp C. opobalsamum of Africa and W Asia, that yield a fragrant oily resin Compare balm myrrh
the resin exuded by these trees
a North American hybrid female poplar tree, Populus gileadensis (or P. candicans ), with broad heart-shaped leaves
a fragrant resin obtained from the balsam fir See also Canada balsam
First recorded in 1695–1705
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He said the balm-of-Gilead lint was much better than the linen lint.
From Our Young Folks at Home and Abroad by Dale, Daphne
Xylobalsamum, zī-lō-bal′sa-mum, n. the dried twigs of the balm-of-Gilead tree.
From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 4 of 4: S-Z and supplements) by Various
Beside the fruit trees there was a great umbrella-shaped catalpa, and a balm-of-Gilead, two lindens, and even a ginka,—a rigid, pointed tree with leaves shaped like butterflies, which shivered, but never bent to the wind.
From The Song of the Lark by Cather, Willa Sibert
The tension of their thoughts was too sharp; they turned for relief to the scene before them, stopping at the stile to look back at the steepled white church, standing under its spreading balm-of-Gilead tree.
From The Stolen Singer by Bellinger, Martha Idell Fletcher
We also cleared up the slope round it and set out borders of young pine and balm-of-Gilead trees.
From A Busy Year at the Old Squire's by Stephens, C. A. (Charles Asbury)
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
