Spanish word

bálsamo

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈbalsamo/

Meaning

  • masculine nounointment

Example

Aplica bálsamo en la piel seca.

Apply ointment to dry skin.

Illustration for bálsamo (ointment)

More examples

Su sonrisa fue un bálsamo en aquel día difícil.

His smile was a balm on that difficult day.

Core concept

Soothing skin ointment with a figurative sense of solace.

Common phrases

  • bálsamo labial

    lip balm

  • bálsamo para la piel

    skin ointment

Similar words

crema: Thick, emollient cream with moisturizing ingredients for softening and hydrating skin.
loción: Light, liquid cosmetic that spreads easily and absorbs quickly into the skin.

Definition in Spanish

Ungüento semisólido que se aplica para hidratar y proteger la piel; por extensión, algo que reconforta.

Word origin

From Latin balsamum (from Greek balsamon), originally naming a medicinal tree resin, later applied to salves and by extension to things that soothe.

Usage tips

  • When used to mean 'comfort', bálsamo often carries a literary or emotive tone, so everyday 'comfort' is more commonly rendered as consuelo or alivio.

Other meanings

  • balmnoun
  • comfortnoun

Opposites

Word lists with this word