Lemon-balm

noun
1.
See under (def 5).
[bahm] /bɑm/
noun
1.
any of various oily, fragrant, resinous substances, often of medicinal value, exuding from certain plants, especially tropical trees of the genus Commiphora.
2.
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.
any of various aromatic plants of the mint family, especially 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.
noun
1.
the full name of balm (sense 5)
/bɑːm/
noun
1.
any of various oily aromatic resinous substances obtained from certain tropical trees and used for healing and soothing See also balsam (sense 1)
2.
any plant yielding such a substance, esp the balm of Gilead
3.
something comforting or soothing: soft music is a balm
4.
any aromatic or oily substance used for healing or soothing
5.
Also called lemon balm. an aromatic Eurasian herbaceous plant, Melissa officinalis, having clusters of small fragrant white two-lipped flowers: family Lamiaceae (labiates)
6.
a pleasant odour
n.

early 13c., basme, aromatic substance made from resins and oils, from Old French basme (Modern French baume), from Latin balsamum, from Greek balsamon “balsam,” from Hebrew basam “spice,” related to Aramaic busma, Arabic basham “balsam, spice, perfume.”

Spelling refashioned 15c.-16c. on Latin model. Sense of “healing or soothing influence” (1540s) is from aromatic preparations from balsam (see balsam). Biblical Balm of Gilead, however, began with Coverdale; the Hebrew word there is tsori, which was rendered in Septuagint and Vulgate as “resin” (Greek rhetine, Latin resina).

balm (bäm)
n.

contracted from Bal’sam, a general name for many oily or resinous substances which flow or trickle from certain trees or plants when an incision is made through the bark. (1.) This word occurs in the Authorized Version (Gen. 37:25; 43:11; Jer. 8:22; 46:11; 51:8; Ezek. 27:17) as the rendering of the Hebrew word _tsori_ or _tseri_, which denotes the gum of a tree growing in Gilead (q.v.), which is very precious. It was celebrated for its medicinal qualities, and was circulated as an article of merchandise by Arab and Phoenician merchants. The shrub so named was highly valued, and was almost peculiar to Palestine. In the time of Josephus it was cultivated in the neighbourhood of Jericho and the Dead Sea. There is an Arab tradition that the tree yielding this balm was brought by the queen of Sheba as a present to Solomon, and that he planted it in his gardens at Jericho. (2.) There is another Hebrew word, _basam_ or _bosem_, from which our word “balsam,” as well as the corresponding Greek balsamon, is derived. It is rendered “spice” (Cant. 5:1, 13; 6:2; margin of Revised Version, “balsam;” Ex. 35:28; 1 Kings 10:10), and denotes fragrance in general. _Basam_ also denotes the true balsam-plant, a native of South Arabia (Cant. l.c.).