balsam
noun · verb
Simple meaning
A sweet-smelling oil or resin derived from different plants.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
bawlsuhmSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
ˈbɔlsəm
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
noun
chiefly uk
A sweet-smelling oil or resin derived from various plants.
An ointment containing a fragrant resin
chiefly uk
A plant or tree yielding such substance.
chiefly uk
A soothing ointment.
The balsam family of flowering plants (Balsaminaceae), which includes Impatiens and Hydrocera.
Canada balsam, a turpentine obtained from the resin of balsam fir.
verb
transitive
To treat or anoint with balsam.
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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.