balm

UK: /ˈbɑːm/ US: /bɑm/ ,(bäm)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

balm /bɑm/   n. [uncountable]

1. a sweet-smelling oil or ointment used for healing, soothing, or relieving pain.
2. something that soothes or comforts:
   Her friendship was a balm to his hurt feelings.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

balm  (bäm), n. 

1. any of various oily, fragrant, resinous substances, often of medicinal value, exuding from certain plants, esp. tropical trees of the genus Commiphora.
2. Plant Biology a plant or tree yielding such a substance.
3. any aromatic or fragrant ointment.
4. aromatic fragrance;
   sweet odor:
   the balm of orange blossoms.
5. Plant Biology any of various aromatic plants of the mint family, esp. those of the genus Melissa, as M. officinalis (lemon balm,) having ovate lemon-scented leaves used as a seasoning.
6. anything that heals, soothes, or mitigates pain:
   the balm of friendship in troubled times.

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

balm′like′, adj. 
Synonyms

• 3. salve, unguent, lotion, emollient.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

balm / bɑːm/ noun

1. any of various oily aromatic resinous substances obtained from certain tropical trees and used for healing and soothing
   See also balsam1
2. any plant yielding such a substance, esp the balm of Gilead
3. something comforting or soothing
4. Also called: lemon balm an aromatic Eurasian herbaceous plant, Melissa officinalis, having clusters of small fragrant white two-lipped flowers: family Lamiaceae (labiates)
5. a pleasant odour

Etymology: 13th Century: from Old French basme, from Latin balsamum balsam