Where does “balsam” come from?
balsam (Irish) comes from Old Irish balsamm, from Latin balsamum, from Ancient Greek βάλσαμον, from Hebrew בושם, from Proto-Semitic *buśm-.
balsam (Irish): balsam, balm; balsam
Ancestry of “balsam”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old Irish | balsamm | balsam; unguent, balm |
| 2 | Latin | balsamum | balsam ; balm |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | βάλσαμον | Arabian balsam tree; balsam, the fragrant oil... |
| 4 | Hebrew | בושם | perfume |
| 5 | Proto-Semitic | *buśm- | — |
Words derived from “balsam”