balm

English

Etymology

From Middle English bawme, from Anglo-Norman and Middle French baume, from Old French basme, from Latin balsamum, itself from Ancient Greek βάλσαμον (bálsamon). Spelling modified 16th c. to conform to Latin etymology. Doublet of balsam.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /bɑːm/
• (US) IPA^(key): /bɑm/, /bɔm/, /bɑlm/, /bɔlm/, (obsolete) /bæm/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɑːm, -ɑːlm
• Homophones: bomb, BOM (for many speakers with the father-bother merger)

Noun

balm (countable and uncountable, plural balms)

1. Any of various aromatic resins exuded from certain plants, especially trees of the genus Commiphora of Africa, Arabia and India and Myroxylon of South America.
2. An aromatic preparation for embalming the dead.
3. A plant or tree yielding such substance.
4. Any soothing oil or lotion, especially an aromatic one.
5. (figuratively) Something soothing.

   Classical music is a sweet balm for our sorrows.

   • 1781, [Mostyn John Armstrong], History and Antiquities of the County of Norfolk. Volume IX. Containing the Hundreds of Smithdon, Taverham, Tunstead, Walsham, and Wayland, volume IX, Norwich: Printed by J. Crouse, for M. Booth, bookseller, →OCLC, page 51:

     BEAT on, proud billows; Boreas blow; / Swell, curled waves, high as Jove's roof; / Your incivility doth ſhow, / That innocence is tempeſt proof; / Though ſurly Nereus frown, my thoughts are calm; / Then ſtrike, Affliction, for thy wounds are balm. [Attributed to Roger L'Estrange (1616–1704).]

6. The lemon balm, Melissa officinalis
7. Any of a number of other aromatic herbs with a similar citrus-like scent, such as bee balm and horsebalm.

Synonyms

• (aromatic resin): balsam
• (plant or tree): balsam
• (soothing oil or lotion): balsam
• (something soothing): balsam

Derived terms

• balm-cricket
• balm of Gilead
• balm tea
• balmy
• balm yard
• basil balm
• embalm
• heart-balm
• heart balm
• lip balm
• spotted bee balm
• tiger balm
• Vietnamese balm

 

Related terms

• balsam

Descendants

• → Welsh: balm

Translations

sweet-smelling oil or resin derived from some plants — see balsam

plant or tree yielding such substance — see balsam

soothing lotion — see balsam

figurative: something soothing — see balsam

plant of the genus Melissa

• Finnish: melissa (fi)
• Galician: melisa (gl) f

Verb

balm (third-person singular simple present balms, present participle balming, simple past and past participle balmed)

1. (transitive, archaic) To anoint with balm, or with anything medicinal.
   • c. 1607–1608, William Shakespeare, George] [Wilkins, Pericles, Prince of Tyre, act 3, scene 2, lines 63–64:

     Shrouded in cloth of state, balmed and entreasured / With full bags of spices!

2. (transitive, figurative) To soothe; to mitigate.
   • c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, King Lear, act 3, scene 6, line 96:

     This rest might yet have balmed thy broken sinews

See also

• lotion
• ointment
• unguent

Anagrams

• ALBM, BAML, BLAM, LBMA, Lamb, blam, lamb

Welsh

Etymology

Borrowed from English balm.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /balm/
• Rhymes: -alm

Noun

balm m (plural balmau)

1. lemon balm

Mutation

Welsh mutation
radical	soft	nasal	aspirate
balm	falm	malm	unchanged
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

Further reading

• R. J. Thomas, G. A. Bevan, P. J. Donovan, A. Hawke et al., editors (1950–present), “balm”, in Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru Online (in Welsh), University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh & Celtic Studies