Balsam

English

Etymology

Recorded since 1579 for "aromatic resin used for healing wounds and soothing pains", from Latin balsamum (also the root of balm via Old French basme, modern baume), itself from Ancient Greek βάλσαμον (balsamon), “‘balsam’”)," from Hebrew (basam) "spice", related to Arameic busma, Arabic (basham) "balsam, spice, perfume". There is an isolated Old English reference from c.1000. As a type of flowering plant of the Balsaminaceae or Impatiens family, it is attested from 1741.

Pronunciation

• enPR: bôlʹsəm, IPA: /ˈbɔːlsəm/, SAMPA: /"bO:ls@m/

Noun

Singular Balsam

Plural s

Balsam (s)

1. A sweet-smelling oil or resin derived from various plants.
2. A plant or tree yielding such substance.
3. A soothing ointment.
4. (figuratively) Something soothing.

   Classical music is a sweet balsam for our sorrows

5. A flowering plant of the genus Impatiens.
6. A balsam fir.
7. Canada balsam, a turpentine obtained from the resin of balsam fir.

Synonyms

• (sweet-smelling oil): balm
• (plant or tree): balm
• (soothing ointment): balm
• (something soothing): balm
• (flowering plant of the genus Impatiens): jewelweed, impatiens, touch-me-not

Derived terms

terms derived from "balsam"

balsamaceous balsam apple balsamed balsam fir balsamic balsamiferous Balsamina balsamint, balsam-mint balsam of Acouchi balsam of aniseed balsam of Copaiba balsam of Gilead balsam of Mecca balsam of Peru balsam of saturn balsam of steel balsam of sulfur, balsam of sulphur balsam of Tolu balsam oil

balsam pear balsam poplar balsamroot balsam-tansy balsam tree balsamy Canada balsam friar's balsam garden balsam Mecca balsam Peruvian balsam Tolu balsam true balsam Turlington's balsam Wade's balsam wild balsam apple yellow balsam

Related terms

terms related to "balsam"

balm balsamate balsamation Balsaminaceae balsamine balsamise, balsamize

balsamitic balsamo balsamous balsamum opobalsam, opobalsamum xylobalsamum

Translations

sweet-smelling oil or resin derived from some plants

Finnish: palsami fi(fi)

plant or tree yielding such substance

Esperanto: balzamino eo(eo) Finnish: palsamipuu fi(fi)

Ido: balzamino io(io)

soothing ointment

Bulgarian: балсам bg(bg), мехлем bg(bg) Czech: balzám cs(cs) m. Danish: balsam da(da) c. Dutch: balsem nl(nl) m. Esperanto: balzamo eo(eo)

Finnish: palsami fi(fi) German: Balsam de(de) m. Ido: balzamo io(io) Spanish: bálsamo es(es) m. Tatar: бәлзәм

figurative: something soothing

Finnish: palsami fi(fi)

flowering plant of the genus Impatiens

Danish: balsamin da(da) Dutch: balsemien m., springzaad n. Esperanto: balzamino eo(eo) Finnish: palsami fi(fi), palsamikukka fi(fi)

French: balsamine fr(fr) f. German: Springkraut de(de) n. Polish: niecierpek pl(pl) m. Spanish: balsamina es(es) f.

balsam fir — see balsam fir

turpentine from the resin of balsam fir — see Canada balsam

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.

Translations to be checked

Dutch: balsemboom m. French: baume m.

Hebrew: צרי he(he) (tzari) f. Japanese: 鳳仙花 ja(ja) , ホウセンカ ja(ja) (ほうせんか ja(ja) (hōsenka))

See also

• File:Wikipedia-logo.png Impatiens on Wikipedia.Wikipedia:Impatiens

Anagrams

• aablms,
• sambal

ar:balsam zh-min-nan:balsam da:balsam et:balsam fr:balsam io:balsam hu:balsam my:balsam no:balsam pl:balsam sq:balsam ta:balsam te:balsam tr:balsam vi:balsam zh:balsam