[syn: balm of gilead, Commiphora meccanensis]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Opobalsam \Op`o*bal"sam\, Opobalsamum \Op`o*bal"sa*mum\, n. [L.
opobalsamum, Gr. ?; ? vegetable juice + ? balsam.] (Med.)
The old name of the aromatic resinous juice of the
Balsamodendron opobalsamum, now commonly called balm of
Gilead. See under Balm.
[1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Balm \Balm\ (b[aum]m), n. [OE. baume, OF. bausme, basme, F.
baume, L. balsamum balsam, from Gr. ba`lsamon; perhaps of
Semitic origin; cf. Heb. b[=a]s[=a]m. Cf. Balsam.]
[1913 Webster]
1. (Bot.) An aromatic plant of the genus Melissa.
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2. The resinous and aromatic exudation of certain trees or
shrubs. --Dryden.
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3. Any fragrant ointment. --Shak.
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4. Anything that heals or that mitigates pain. "Balm for each
ill." --Mrs. Hemans.
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Balm cricket (Zool.), the European cicada. --Tennyson.
Balm of Gilead (Bot.), a small evergreen African and
Asiatic tree of the terebinthine family (Balsamodendron
Gileadense). Its leaves yield, when bruised, a strong
aromatic scent; and from this tree is obtained the balm of
Gilead of the shops, or balsam of Mecca. This has a
yellowish or greenish color, a warm, bitterish, aromatic
taste, and a fragrant smell. It is valued as an unguent
and cosmetic by the Turks. The fragrant herb
Dracocephalum Canariense is familiarly called balm of
Gilead, and so are the American trees, Populus
balsamifera, variety candicans (balsam poplar), and
Abies balsamea (balsam fir).
[1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
balm of Gilead
n 1: medium-sized fir of northeastern North America; leaves
smell of balsam when crushed; much used for pulpwood and
Christmas trees [syn: balsam fir, balm of Gilead,
Canada balsam, Abies balsamea]
2: a fragrant oleoresin
3: small evergreen tree of Africa and Asia; leaves have a strong
aromatic odor when bruised [syn: balm of gilead,
Commiphora meccanensis]