George A. Parks
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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
Mark Ellwood, AFAR Media, 6 Mar. 2025
Once the plants can handle at least six to eight hours of full sun and the weather is balmy, transplant your tomatoes into a vegetable bed or outdoor container garden.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Feb. 2025
But white sand, sparkling turquoise waters, and balmy weather admittedly turn a good beach day into an even better one.
—Kaitlyn McInnis, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2025
That was balmy compared to Wednesday night’s CONCACAF Champions Cup match between Sporting KC and Inter Miami.
—Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 20 Feb. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Balmy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/balmy. Accessed 14 Mar. 2025.
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