Meanings
plural tacamahacs · alternative tacamahaca
- countableuncountableA bitter balsamic resin or resinous exudation obtained from tropical American trees of the family Burseraceae (Bursera tomentosa and Icica tacamahaca), from East Indian trees of the genus Calophyllum, or from the balsam poplar (Populus balsamifera).
- countableuncountableAny tree yielding tacamahac resin, especially, in North America, balsam poplar (Populus balsamifera) or balm of Gilead.
Synonyms: hackmatack, tamarack
Synonyms & antonyms
nounAny tree yielding tacamahac resin, especially, in North America, balsam poplar (Populus balsamifera) or balm of Gilead.
More synonyms by meaning
nounpoplar of northeastern North America with broad heart-shaped leaves
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Algonquian*-a·xkw-“hardwood or deciduous tree”
- Nahuatlthecomahaca
- Englishtacamahac
From Spanish, from Nahuatl thecomahaca, to use the spelling of Hernandez 1614. In European languages there was contamination between tacamahac and various Algonquian words containing the final Proto-Algonquian *-a·xkw- (“hardwood or deciduous tree”), including the sources of tamarack and hackmatack, as was already recognized by Chamberlain 1902.
More words from Nahuatl, Proto-Algonquian
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
tacamahac. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tacamahac
“tacamahac.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tacamahac. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “tacamahac,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tacamahac.
Source: tacamahac on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.