Etymology

embalm

E1M3B3A1L1M3

Today it means: To treat a corpse with preservatives in order to prevent decomposition. Full definition →

Middle English enbawmen ← Middle French embaumer ← Old French embasmer
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The story

  1. Old French · derived fromembasmer
  2. Middle French · derived fromembaumer
  3. Middle English · inherited fromenbawmen
  4. English todayembalm

From Middle English enbawmen, from Middle French embaumer, from Old French embasmer. See balm.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.