βάλσαμον

Ancient Greek

Alternative forms

βάρσαμον (bársamon), βλάσαμον (blásamon), πάλσαμον (pálsamon)

Etymology

Of Semitic origin, comparing Hebrew בושם‎ (bósem, “spice, perfume”), Arabic بَشَام‎ (bašām), بَيْلَسان‎ (baylasān, “balsam; balsam plant”) and Classical Syriac ܒܘܣܡܐ‎ (bussāmā, “sweetness, perfume”).

Pronunciation

(5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /bál.sa.mon/
(1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /ˈbal.sa.mon/
(4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /ˈβal.sa.mon/
(10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /ˈval.sa.mon/
(15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /ˈval.sa.mon/

Noun

βᾰ́λσᾰμον • (bálsamon) n (genitive βᾰλσᾰμου); second declension

Arabian balsam tree (Commiphora gileadensis)
balsam, the fragrant oil produced by this tree
costmary (Tanacetum balsamita)

Inflection

Second declension of τὸ βᾰ́λσᾰμον; τοῦ βᾰλσᾰ́μου (Attic)

Case / #	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	τὸ βᾰ́λσᾰμον tò bálsamon	τὼ βᾰλσᾰ́μω tṑ balsámō	τᾰ̀ βᾰ́λσᾰμᾰ tà bálsama
Genitive	τοῦ βᾰλσᾰ́μου toû balsámou	τοῖν βᾰλσᾰ́μοιν toîn balsámoin	τῶν βᾰλσᾰ́μων tôn balsámōn
Dative	τῷ βᾰλσᾰ́μῳ tôi balsámōi	τοῖν βᾰλσᾰ́μοιν toîn balsámoin	τοῖς βᾰλσᾰ́μοις toîs balsámois
Accusative	τὸ βᾰ́λσᾰμον tò bálsamon	τὼ βᾰλσᾰ́μω tṑ balsámō	τᾰ̀ βᾰ́λσᾰμᾰ tà bálsama
Vocative	βᾰ́λσᾰμον bálsamon	βᾰλσᾰ́μω balsámō	βᾰ́λσᾰμᾰ bálsama
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For declension in other dialects, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal declension.

Derived terms

βαλσαμέλαιον (balsamélaion)
βαλσαμίνη (balsamínē)
βαλσαμῶδες (balsamôdes)
ὀποβάλσαμον (opobálsamon)

Descendants

→ Latin: balsamum