balm

[ bahm ]
See synonyms for balm on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. any of various oily, fragrant, resinous substances, often of medicinal value, exuding from certain plants, especially tropical trees of the genus Commiphora.

  2. a plant or tree yielding such a substance.

  1. any aromatic or fragrant ointment.

  2. aromatic fragrance; sweet odor: the balm of orange blossoms.

  3. any of various aromatic plants of the mint family, especially those of the genus Melissa, as M. officinalis(lemon balm ), having ovate lemon-scented leaves used as a seasoning.

  4. anything that heals, soothes, or mitigates pain: the balm of friendship in troubled times.

Origin of balm

1
1175–1225; Middle English basme, ba(u)me<Anglo-French basme, bal(s)me, ba(u)me;Old French <Latin balsamumbalsam; with orthographic l pedantically restored

Other words for balm

Other words from balm

  • balmlike, adjective

Words that may be confused with balm

Words Nearby balm

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use balm in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for balm

balm

/ (bɑːm) /


noun
  1. any of various oily aromatic resinous substances obtained from certain tropical trees and used for healing and soothing: See also balsam (def. 1)

  2. any plant yielding such a substance, esp the balm of Gilead

  1. something comforting or soothing: soft music is a balm

  2. any aromatic or oily substance used for healing or soothing

  3. Also called: lemon balm an aromatic Eurasian herbaceous plant, Melissa officinalis, having clusters of small fragrant white two-lipped flowers: family Lamiaceae (labiates)

  4. a pleasant odour

Origin of balm

1
C13: from Old French basme, from Latin balsamum balsam

Derived forms of balm

  • balmlike, adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012