- βάλσαμον
- βάλσαμονGrammatical information: n.Meaning: `balsam, the shrub' and `its oil' (Arist.); Comiphora Opoalsamum and Chrysanthemum balsamita.Other forms: s. below.Derivatives: βαλσαμίνη `βούφθαλμον' (Ps.-Dsk.), `ὀποβάλσαμον' (Plin.); cf. Strömberg Wortstudien 38.Origin: LW [a loanword which is (probably) not of Pre-Greek origin]Etymology: Assumed to be Semitic; cf. Acc. bašāmu, Hebr. bāśām, Arab. bašām `id'; Lewy Fremdw. 41. Fur. 143 etc. argues, on the basis of the -λ- (and Arm. apr(a)sam and the variants πάλσαμον (βλάσαμον, βάρσαμον; with the latter cf. Arm. apr(a)sam and Syrian forms) for Anatolian origin. But Schrader-Nehring (Balsam) say that the plant originated from the (far) south (Africa) and became only known after Alexander. On plant names with -αμον, -αμος s. Schwyzer 494, Chantr. Form. 133 (prob. Pre-Gr.).Page in Frisk: 1,217
Greek-English etymological dictionary (Ελληνικά-Αγγλικά ετυμολογική λεξικό). Robert S.P.. 2010.