balsa
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Related to balsa: balsa wood
balsa
a tropical American tree of the bombax family, yielding a very light wood used for rafts and toys: The toy airplane was made of balsa wood.
Not to be confused with:
balsam – a fragrant resin exuded from certain trees; any of various plants belonging to the genus Impatiens; any agency that heals, soothes, or restores: the balsam of kindness
Abused, Confused, & Misused Words by Mary Embree Copyright © 2007, 2013 by Mary Embree
bal·sa
(bôl′sə)n.
1.
a. A tropical American tree (Ochroma pyramidale) having soft wood that is very light in weight and is used as a substitute for cork in insulation, floats, and crafts such as model airplanes.
b. The wood of this tree. Also called corkwood.
2. A raft consisting of a frame fastened to buoyant cylinders of wood or metal.
[Spanish, raft, balsa tree (used to make rafts), from Old Spanish, raft, probably of pre-Roman Iberian origin.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
balsa
(ˈbɔːlsə)n
1. (Plants) a bombacaceous tree, Ochroma lagopus, of tropical America
2. (Plants) Also called: balsawood the very light wood of this tree, used for making rafts, etc
3. (Nautical Terms) a light raft
[C18: from Spanish: raft]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
bal•sa
(ˈbɔl sə, ˈbɑl-)n., pl. -sas.
1. a tropical American tree, Ochroma pyramidale (lagopus), of the bombax family, yielding a light wood used for rafts, toy airplanes, etc.
2. a life raft.
[1770–80; < Sp: boat]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
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Noun | 1. | balsa - strong lightweight wood of the balsa tree used especially for floats Ochroma lagopus, balsa - forest tree of lowland Central America having a strong very light wood; used for making floats and rafts and in crafts wood - the hard fibrous lignified substance under the bark of trees |
2. | balsa - forest tree of lowland Central America having a strong very light wood; used for making floats and rafts and in crafts genus Ochroma, Ochroma - one species: balsa balsa, balsa wood - strong lightweight wood of the balsa tree used especially for floats angiospermous tree, flowering tree - any tree having seeds and ovules contained in the ovary |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
Translations
حَشَبُ شَجَرَةِ البلْساشَجَرَةٌ استِوائيَّة أمريكيّه
balzové dřevobalzový strom
balsatræ
balsa
balsafa
balsatrébalsaviîur
balza
balza
sal ağacısal tahtası
balsa
[ˈbɔːlsə] N (also balsa wood) → (madera f de) balsa fCollins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
balsa
n (also balsa wood) → Balsa(holz) nt
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
balsa
(ˈboːlsə) noun1. (also balsa tree) a tropical American tree.
2. (often ˈbalsa-wood) its very lightweight wood. His model aeroplane is made of balsa.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.