balsam

balsam · noun, verb¹

1. Hebrew · derived fromבושם“spice, perfume”
2. Semitic · derived from
3. Ancient Greek · derived fromβάλσαμον“balsam”
4. Latin · borrowed frombalsamum
5. English todaybalsam

Borrowed from Latin balsamum, from Ancient Greek βάλσαμον (bálsamon, “balsam”), of Semitic origin (Hebrew בושם (“spice, perfume”)); compare Old English balsam, balsamum (“balsam, balm”), Doublet of balm and desman. Not related to balsa.

Balsam · proper noun²

1. German · borrowed fromBalsam
2. English todayBalsam

Borrowed from German Balsam, an occupational surname for a seller of perfumes. It could also be an English habitational surname, from Balsham, in Cambridgeshire.

Words from the same roots