George A. Parks
Did you know?
Aromatic ointments and fragrances are the bomb. They are also, literally, balms: healing substances and soothing scents with the power to ease both mind and body. The original balm, what Latin-speakers referred to as balsamum, was the oleoresin of a species of balsam tree. In Anglo-French, balsamum became basme and baume, spellings which entered Middle English and later became balm. Balm eventually begat the adjective balmy, used to describe things with a balm’s comforting, calming qualities, as when Shakespeare’s Othello speaks of “balmy slumbers.” Today balmy is typically used to describe the weather—balmy breezes, balmy temperatures, balmy spring afternoons, et al—conditions that are neither too hot nor too cold, but just right—Goldilocks conditions, even.
Examples of balmy in a Sentence
Justin Fenner, Robb Report, 22 Apr. 2025
Spirits were high as guests walked the green carpet and were happy to be in balmy New Orleans.
—Michaela Bechler, Vogue, 8 Feb. 2025
Easter is a joyous weekend of decorating eggs, eating chocolate, and relaxing with family in balmy weather.
—Tori Crowther, Allure, 11 Apr. 2025
And right now Amazon is chock-full of cooling pillows that are designed to keep your body’s temperature regulated all night long, even amidst warm, balmy weather.
—Toni Sutton, People.com, 6 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for balmy
Cite this Entry
“Balmy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/balmy. Accessed 1 May. 2025.
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