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Webster 1828 Edition

Tacamahac

TACAMAHAC'

,
Noun.
A tree of a sweet fragrance, planted in gardens as an ornament. It is of the genus Populus, [P.balsamifera.]
1.
A resin brought from America in large oblong masses wrapped in flag leaves, of a light brown color,and an aromatic smell between that of lavender and must. It is obtained from the Fagara octandra, and it is said also, from the Populus balsamifera.

Definition 2024

tacamahac

tacamahac

English

Alternative forms

Noun

tacamahac ‎(plural tacamahacs)

  1. A 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.
  2. Any tree yielding tacamahac resin, especially, in North America, the balsam poplar or balm of Gilead (Populus balsamifera).

Synonyms

References

  1. ↑ “tacamahac” in Dictionary.com Unabridged, v1.0.1, Lexico Publishing Group, 2006.
  2. ↑ 1902, Journal of American Folklore, volume 15, page 260
  • tacamahac in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913

Etymology

From Nahuatl tecamac.[1]

In the 19th century, some authorities questioned if tacamahac, tamarack, and hackmatack could be cognate to one another, perhaps all corruptions of one term, but such cognacy is unlikely.[2]

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