balsam scent
- noun
- /ˈbɔːlsəm sɛnt/
:
aroma de bálsamo
- As she walked through the forest, the balsam scent of the trees filled the air, bringing a sense of calm.
Examples
-
The potpourri on the table released a balsam scent that reminded everyone of the holiday season.
-
In the candle shop, I was drawn to one that promised a soothing balsam scent ideal for relaxation.
-
Starr was standing in front of the windows, smiling, the balsam scent of the heart-shaped leaves encircling him.
Fiction book (1993) -
And then I was in, following the sweep of Samantha's shoulders and hair and the sweet balsam scent of her into the living room I knew so well—and that was strange, surpassing strange, to know a place in its every apparent detail and yet never to have been there in the flesh.
Fiction book (2000)
Synonyms
605
1.0
A scent you notice with your nose
165
1.0
A pleasant smell from things like perfume or flowers
102
1.0
A pleasant smell that you notice and enjoy
83
2.6
A pleasant sweet smell from flowers or perfume
74
1.6
A pleasant smell that often comes from food, drink, or flowers
11
4.6
A pleasant smell you notice in wine or perfume
How Fragrant
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'the fragrant smell of balsam resin' is directly and compositionally derived from 'balsam' (an aromatic substance) combined with 'scent' (a smell). This simple noun + noun pattern (the scent of X) is cross-linguistically common and would be understandable to a B1 learner who knows both constituent words.
Etymology
The noun balsam scent comes from the real smell of balsam, the sticky sap from fir and cedar trees that gives a warm, sweet, woody smell when crushed. So, balsam scent today means 'a fresh, sweet, and woody smell', like the smell of crushed pine or a holiday tree.