balsa

B3A1L1S1A1
UK/ˈbɔːl.sə/UK/ˈbæl.sə/US/ˈbɑlsə/

noun

A large tree, Ochroma pyramidale, native to tropical America, with wood that is very light in weight.

Similar
balsa woodOchroma lagopus
OriginSpanish balsa ← Paleo-Hispanic ← Basque [Term?] →
Less commonScrabble 7
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Meanings

nounbalsa (countable and uncountable, plural balsas)

plural balsas

  1. countableuncountableA large tree, Ochroma pyramidale, native to tropical America, with wood that is very light in weight.
  2. uncountableThe wood of this tree.
  3. countableuncountableA raft or float, used principally on the Pacific coast of South America.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounstrong lightweight wood of the balsa tree used especially for floats

Similar
balsa wood
Broader
wood

nounforest tree of lowland Central America having a strong very light wood; used for making floats and rafts and in crafts

Similar
Ochroma lagopus
Broader
angiospermous treeflowering tree

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Iberian[Term?]
  2. Basque[Term?]
  3. Paleo-Hispanic
  4. Spanishbalsa
  5. Englishbalsa

Borrowed from Spanish balsa, from Paleo-Hispanic, probably Basque [Term?] or Iberian [Term?]. Not related to balsam.

More words from Spanish, Paleo-Hispanic, Basque

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian лек сал, балсово дърво
  • лек сал (lek sal)a raft or float
  • балсово дърво (balsovo dărvo)a tree
  • балсово дърво (balsovo dărvo)wood
Czech balza
  • balzawood
Finnish balsa, balsa
  • balsaa tree
  • balsawood
French balsa, balsa
  • balsaa tree
  • balsawood
German Balsabaum, Balsa
  • Balsabauma tree
  • Balsawood
  • Balsaholzwood
Hawaiian haulāpa, haulāpa
  • haulāpaa tree
  • haulāpawood
Hebrew רפסודה, עץ
  • רפסודה (rafsoda)a raft or float
  • עץ (ets)a tree
  • עץ (ets)wood
Irish balsa, balsa
  • balsaa tree
  • balsawood
Italian balsa
  • balsaa tree
Japanese バルサ
  • バルサ (barusa)a tree
Persian بالسا
  • بالساa tree
Polish balsa, balsa
  • balsaa tree
  • balsawood
Portuguese balsa, jangada
  • balsaa raft or float
  • jangadaa raft or float
  • balsaa tree
  • balsawood
Romanian balsa, balsa
  • balsaa tree
  • balsawood

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

basalsabalbalas
Cite this entry
APA

balsa. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/balsa

MLA

“balsa.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/balsa. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “balsa,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/balsa.

Source: balsa on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.