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
Michael Saponara, Billboard, 14 July 2025
More than 17,500 fans came out on a balmy 107-degree day in the desert to see what all the fuss was about.
—David Aldridge, New York Times, 11 July 2025
The perfect alternative to blue denim in balmy temps, these look great with a cropped tank and sandals while traveling by train throughout Provence or island-hopping in Greece via ferry.
—Lane Nieset, Travel + Leisure, 9 July 2025
July is here and with it more balmy summer days and 31 brand new Wordles to solve.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 30 June 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 22 Jul. 2025.
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