BALSAM

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does balsam mean? 

• BALSAM (noun)
  The noun BALSAM has 3 senses:

1. any seed plant yielding balsam

2. any of various fragrant oleoresins used in medicines and perfumes

3. an ointment containing a fragrant resin

  Familiarity information: BALSAM used as a noun is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• BALSAM (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Any seed plant yielding balsam

Classified under:

Nouns denoting plants

Hypernyms ("balsam" is a kind of...):

phanerogam; seed plant; spermatophyte (plant that reproduces by means of seeds not spores)

Meronyms (substance of "balsam"):

balsam (any of various fragrant oleoresins used in medicines and perfumes)

Derivation:

balsamic (of or relating to or containing balsam)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Any of various fragrant oleoresins used in medicines and perfumes

Classified under:

Nouns denoting substances

Hypernyms ("balsam" is a kind of...):

oleoresin (a naturally occurring mixture of a resin and an essential oil; obtained from certain plants)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "balsam"):

balsam of tolu; tolu; tolu balsam (aromatic yellowish brown balsam from the tolu balsam tree used especially in cough syrups)

balm (any of various aromatic resinous substances used for healing and soothing)

Holonyms ("balsam" is a substance of...):

balsam (any seed plant yielding balsam)

Derivation:

balsamic; balsamy (of or relating to or containing balsam)

Sense 3

Meaning:

An ointment containing a fragrant resin

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("balsam" is a kind of...):

balm; ointment; salve; unction; unguent (semisolid preparation (usually containing a medicine) applied externally as a remedy or for soothing an irritation)

Derivation:

balsamic (of or relating to or containing balsam)

 Context examples 

Balsam peru oil is used primarily in parfumery and skin care preparations.

(Balsam Peru Oil, NCI Thesaurus)