the.com/balminess
that warm soft air that disarms you before you remember to put on pants
means The quality of being mild, warm, and pleasantly soothing — usually said of weather, sometimes of a person who's a bit unhinged.
from From 'balm,' which comes through Old French 'basme' from Latin 'balsamum' — the aromatic resin 'balsam,' prized as a healing ointment, itself borrowed from Greek 'balsamon,' likely with Semitic roots (compare Hebrew 'basam,' spice). So balminess literally carries the idea of something as soothing as healing oil. The 'crazy' sense came later and separately: 'balmy' became slang for 'soft in the head,' possibly blurred with 'barmy' (from 'barm,' the froth on fermenting beer — frothy, unstable), so the two meanings have been pleasantly tangled ever since.
- word origin
- From balm, the soothing tree resin
- weather term
- Meteorologists actually use it for mild, gentle conditions
- double meaning
- Also slang for mild craziness in British English
- sensory trick
- Warm humid air feels heavier than dry heat
miami florida — average annual temperature of 75.9°f with subtropical humidity year-round
honolulu hawaii — average annual temperature of 78°f with trade winds keeping it consistently warm and mild
canary islands spain — known as 'islands of eternal spring' with average temperatures of 65-75°f throughout the year