balsam
any of various fragrant exudations from certain trees, especially trees of the genus Commiphora, as balm-of-Gilead.: Compare balm (def. 1).
the similar products yielded by the leguminous trees Myroxylon pereirae and M. balsamum, of South America.: Compare Peru balsam, tolu.
any of certain transparent turpentines, as Canada balsam.
a plant or tree yielding a balsam.
any of several plants belonging to the genus Impatiens, as I. balsamina, a common garden annual.: Compare balsam family.
any aromatic ointment for ceremonial or medicinal use.
any agency that heals, soothes, or restores: the balsam of understanding and appreciation.
Origin of balsam
1Other words from balsam
- bal·sa·ma·ceous [bawl-suh-mey-shuhs], /ˌbɔl səˈmeɪ ʃəs/, adjective
- bal·sam·ic [bawl-som-ik, ‐sam‐], /bɔlˈsɒm ɪk, ‐ˈsæm‐/, adjective
- bal·sam·y, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use balsam in a sentence
Farther along, striped grass, mints, herbs and balsams made the air heavy with spicy odors when the dew was on the grass.
Maid Sally | Harriet A. CheeverIt differs from that of China, and from the true balsams, in not containing benzoic acid.
It is only a gurgle here, droning along, smooth and dark, under the tangle of cedar-tops and the shadow of the balsams.
Fishing with a Worm | Bliss PerryNot too many beech, or I'd expect sand; with here and there a big pine and a handful of balsams.
Cedar Creek | Elizabeth Hely WalsheIt was but the soft hum of the balsams, interpreted and embodied in a bird's voice.
Riverby | John Burroughs
British Dictionary definitions for balsam
/ (ˈbɔːlsəm) /
any of various fragrant oleoresins, such as balm or tolu, obtained from any of several trees and shrubs and used as a base for medicines and perfumes
any of various similar substances used as medicinal or ceremonial ointments
any of certain aromatic resinous turpentines: See also Canada balsam
any plant yielding balsam
Also called: busy Lizzie any of several balsaminaceous plants of the genus Impatiens, esp I. balsamina, cultivated for its brightly coloured flowers
anything healing or soothing
Origin of balsam
1Derived forms of balsam
- balsamic (bɔːlˈsæmɪk), adjective
- balsamy, 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
Scientific definitions for balsam
[ bôl′səm ]
Any of several aromatic resins that flow from certain plants and that contain considerable amounts of benzoic acid, cinnamic acid, or both, or their esters. Balsams are used in perfumes and medicines.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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