Canada balsam

American  

noun

1. a pale yellow or greenish, slightly fluorescent, clear, viscous, bitter-tasting, water-insoluble liquid, having a pleasant, aromatic, pinelike odor, and solidifying on exposure to air: obtained from the balsam fir, Abies balsamea, and used chiefly for mounting objects on microscope slides, in the manufacture of fine lacquers, and as a cement for lenses.

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Canada balsam British  

noun

1. a yellow transparent resin obtained from the balsam fir. Because its refractive index is similar to that of glass, it is used as an adhesive in optical devices and as a mounting medium for microscope specimens

2. another name for balsam fir

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Etymology

Origin of Canada balsam

An Americanism dating back to 1810–20

Example Sentences

But on the Isle Royale National Park near Michigan’s border with Canada, balsam firs were being devoured.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 20, 2023

The wing is removed and mounted upon a slide in Canada balsam, which should be preferably rather thick.

From Directions for Collecting and Preserving Insects by Riley, C. V.

The balsam fir is probably best known as the typical Christmas tree of the Northeastern states and the source of Canada balsam, used in laboratories and in medicine.

From Trees Worth Knowing by Rogers, Julia Ellen

If the preparation is to be permanently preserved, it should be dehydrated in strong alcohol after washing with water, and it may then be treated with oil of cloves and mounted in Canada balsam.

From A System of Practical Medicine by American Authors, Vol. I Volume 1: Pathology and General Diseases by Various

Canada balsam and crude turpentine are familiar examples of the first class.

From The Chemistry of Plant Life by Thatcher, Roscoe Wilfred