balsamumn.

Etymology: < Latin balsamum, < Greek βάλσαμον the balsam-tree, and its resin (probably < Semitic: compare Hebrew besem , bāsām , ‘spice’; though the Septuagint never render this word by βάλσαμον , nor the Vulgate by balsamum , words which do not occur in these versions. Occasionally used in Old English in the general sense of balm n.¹, and in regular use from c1400 to 17th cent., in the specific senses, in which balsam n. and adj. is now substituted.Previous versions of the OED give the stress as: ˈbalsamum.

Obsolete.

1. An aromatic resinous vegetable juice; = balm n.¹ 1, balsam n. 1.

ΚΠ

c885 tr. Bede Eccl. Hist. iii. viii. (Bosw.) Héddern ða balsamum on wǽre.

1590 C. Marlowe Tamburlaine: 2nd Pt. sig. I7 An ointment..Distilled from the purest Balsamum.

1636 D. Featley Clavis Mystica viii. 100 To discerne a sented poyson from Balsamum.

2. = balm n.¹ 2 – 5.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > emotion > pleasure > state of being consoled or relieved > [noun] > act, means, or source of consolation or relief

froverOE

comfortc1386

easec1440

sport1440

consolationc1460

recreatoryc1475

balm1540

balsamumc1540

solace1597

unction1604

balsama1616

demulceation1661

demulsion1661

alleviative1672

mitigation1726

salve1736

soother1794

consolement1797

heart-balm1828

the world > health and disease > healing > medicines or physic > medicines of specific form > ointments, etc. > [noun] > balsam

balm1393

balsamumc1540

lenitive1563

balsamo1594

balsam1597

c1540 (?a1400) Destr. Troy xxi. 8776 A prise oyntment of bavme and of balsamom.

a1616 W. Shakespeare Comedy of Errors (1623) iv. i. 89 I haue bought The Oyle, the Balsamum, and Aqua-vitæ.

a1657 G. Daniel Idyllia in Poems (1878) IV. iii. 113 To plaister o're These Vlcers with a Balsamum.

figurative.1601 R. Chester Loves Martyr 22 Heart-curing Balsamum.a1631 J. Donne Serm. (1957) III. 327 The Balsamum of this kisse.

3. Alchemy. = balsam n. 4.

ΚΠ

a1631 J. Donne Serm. (1953) VI. 116 Every thing hath in it..A naturall Balsamum, which, if any wound or hurt which that creature hath received, be kept clean from extrinsique putrefaction, will heale of it self.

1650 J. French tr. G. Dorn Chymicall Dict. in tr. M. Sędziwój New Light of Alchymie Balsamum is a substance of bodies preserving things from putrefaction.

4. A tree yielding balm or balsam; = balsam n. 7.

ΘΚΠ

the world > plants > particular plants > cultivated or valued plants > particular medicinal plants or parts > medicinal trees or shrubs > [noun] > non-British medicinal trees or shrubs > balm trees or plants

balsamc1000

balma1387

balsamuma1398

bdelliuma1398

balm-tree1601

balsam-tree1601

balsamum-tree1603

Balm of Gileada1701

opobalsamum1737

maria1745

Balm of Gilead shrub1754

hyawa1825

Balm of Gilead fir1833

balm-shrub1841

balsam-fir1865

balsam-poplar1882

mountain balm1887

a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus De Proprietatibus Rerum (BL Add. 27944) (1975) II. xvii. xviii. 917 Þer is a maner kynde of balsamum þat groweþ aboute Babilonia... In somer tyme þe bowes beþ subtiliche ykutte wiþ a knyf of bone.

Compounds

attributive, as in balsamum-tree (= sense 4).

ΘΚΠ