balsamum Latin · revision 36471

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=70–19 BC, Virgil|origins=grc βάλσαμον}}

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''balsamum''' ''n'' (genitive balsamī); second declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|grc|βάλσαμον|tr=bálsamon|t=balsam]].^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)^(Wiktionary) The Greek word comes from a Semitic language: Wiktionary compares [[hbo|בֹּשֶׂם|tr=bōśem|t=perfume]] and [[ar|بَشَام|tr=bašām]],^(Wiktionary) and Etymonline derives it from Hebrew, comparing Aramaic and Arabic forms.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The TLL finds it from Virgil on;^(TLL) Lewis and Short cite his ''Georgics'' for the fragrant gum.^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It names both the tree that yields balsam and its aromatic resin, used as an ointment, often in the plural ''balsama'':^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Celsus prescribes the seed of the tree and the resin with myrrh and galbanum, and Columella twines its sprigs with cassia.^(OLD 2012) Pliny the Elder and Tacitus describe the tree,^(Lewis & Short 1879) and Martial says someone smells of ''balsama''.^(Lewis & Short 1879) The Vulgate uses it in Ezekiel,^(Lewis & Short 1879) and in Church Latin it is the word for balm.^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ The TLL lists Romance descendants such as [[it|balsimo]] and [[fr|baume]].^(TLL) Through Old French it gave English [[m|en|balm]] about 1200, and English took [[m|en|balsam]] directly from Latin in the 1570s;^(Etymonline) Middle English also used ''balsamum''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 70–19 BC – Virgil uses it for the fragrant gum.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(TLL)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 14–37 AD – Celsus prescribes the seed of the tree and the resin.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 1st century AD – Columella uses it for the sprigs of the tree.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 23/24–79 AD – Pliny the Elder describes the balsam tree.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 390–406 AD – The Vulgate uses it in Ezekiel.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 1200 – English has [[m|en|balm]] from it through Old French.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1570s – English borrows [[m|en|balsam]] from Latin.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The tree that yields [[m|en|balsam]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # Branches or sprigs of that tree.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(usually plural)'' Balsam, an [[m|en|aromatic]] [[m|en|resin]] used as an [[m|en|unguent]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # ''(Ecclesiastical Latin)'' [[m|en|balm|alt=Balm]].^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[balsameus]]

+ * [[balsaminus]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[en|balm]]

+ * [[en|balsam]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}