balsa

See also: Balsa, balsą, and Balša

English

balsa tree flower

balsa wood used as construction material

Etymology

Etymology tree

Paleo-Hispanicder.

Spanish balsabor.

English balsa

Borrowed from Spanish balsa, from Paleo-Hispanic, probably Basque [Term?] or Iberian [Term?]. Not related to balsam.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈbɔːl.sə/, /ˈbæl.sə/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈbɑlsə/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

Noun

balsa (countable and uncountable, plural balsas)

1. A large tree, Ochroma pyramidale, native to tropical America, with wood that is very light in weight.
2. (uncountable) The wood of this tree.
3. A raft or float, used principally on the Pacific coast of South America.

Derived terms

• balsawood

Descendants

• → Irish: balsa

Translations

a tree

• Bulgarian: балсово дърво (balsovo dǎrvo)
• Finnish: balsa (fi)
• French: balsa (fr) m
• German: Balsabaum (de) m
• Hawaiian: haulāpa
• Hebrew: עץ (he) (ets)
• Irish: balsa m
• Italian: balsa (it) m
• Japanese: バルサ (barusa)
• Persian: بالسا
• Polish: balsa (pl) f
• Portuguese: balsa (pt) f
• Romanian: balsa (ro) m

wood

• Bulgarian: балсово дърво (balsovo dǎrvo)
• Czech: balza f
• Finnish: balsa (fi)
• French: balsa (fr) m
• German: Balsa (de) n, Balsaholz (de) n
• Hawaiian: haulāpa
• Hebrew: עץ (he) (ets)
• Irish: balsa m
• Polish: balsa (pl) f
• Portuguese: balsa (pt) f
• Romanian: balsa (ro) m

a raft or float

• Bulgarian: лек сал (lek sal)
• Hebrew: רפסודה (he) (rafsoda)
• Portuguese: balsa (pt) f, jangada (pt) f

Further reading

• balsa on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• balsa tree on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Anagrams

• Labas, basal, balas, Baals, laabs, blaas, albas, baals, Baʿals, sabal, Ba'als, LABAs

Afar

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /balˈsa/ [bʌlˈsʌ]
• Hyphenation: bal‧sa

Noun

balsá f

1. reputation

Chavacano

Etymology

Inherited from Spanish balsa.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbalsa/, [ˈbal.sa]
• Hyphenation: bal‧sa

Noun

balsa

1. raft

Eskayan

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium. Particularly: “Spanish balsa?”)

Noun

balsa

1. wooden boat

Finnish

Etymology

From Spanish balsa.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbɑlsɑ/, [ˈbɑ̝ls̠ɑ̝]
• Rhymes: -ɑlsɑ
• Syllabification^(key): bal‧sa
• Hyphenation^(key): bal‧sa

Noun

balsa

1. balsa (wood)

Declension

Inflection of balsa (Kotus type 9/kala, no gradation)
nominative		balsa	balsat
genitive		balsan	balsojen
partitive		balsaa	balsoja
illative		balsaan	balsoihin
		singular	plural
nominative		balsa	balsat
accusative	nom.	balsa	balsat
	gen.	balsan
genitive		balsan	balsojen balsain rare
partitive		balsaa	balsoja
inessive		balsassa	balsoissa
elative		balsasta	balsoista
illative		balsaan	balsoihin
adessive		balsalla	balsoilla
ablative		balsalta	balsoilta
allative		balsalle	balsoille
essive		balsana	balsoina
translative		balsaksi	balsoiksi
abessive		balsatta	balsoitta
instructive		—	balsoin
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of balsa (Kotus type 9/kala, no gradation)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative balsani balsani accusative nom. balsani balsani gen. balsani genitive balsani balsojeni balsaini rare partitive balsaani balsojani inessive balsassani balsoissani elative balsastani balsoistani illative balsaani balsoihini adessive balsallani balsoillani ablative balsaltani balsoiltani allative balsalleni balsoilleni essive balsanani balsoinani translative balsakseni balsoikseni abessive balsattani balsoittani instructive — — comitative — balsoineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative balsasi balsasi accusative nom. balsasi balsasi gen. balsasi genitive balsasi balsojesi balsaisi rare partitive balsaasi balsojasi inessive balsassasi balsoissasi elative balsastasi balsoistasi illative balsaasi balsoihisi adessive balsallasi balsoillasi ablative balsaltasi balsoiltasi allative balsallesi balsoillesi essive balsanasi balsoinasi translative balsaksesi balsoiksesi abessive balsattasi balsoittasi instructive — — comitative — balsoinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative balsamme balsamme accusative nom. balsamme balsamme gen. balsamme genitive balsamme balsojemme balsaimme rare partitive balsaamme balsojamme inessive balsassamme balsoissamme elative balsastamme balsoistamme illative balsaamme balsoihimme adessive balsallamme balsoillamme ablative balsaltamme balsoiltamme allative balsallemme balsoillemme essive balsanamme balsoinamme translative balsaksemme balsoiksemme abessive balsattamme balsoittamme instructive — — comitative — balsoinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative balsanne balsanne accusative nom. balsanne balsanne gen. balsanne genitive balsanne balsojenne balsainne rare partitive balsaanne balsojanne inessive balsassanne balsoissanne elative balsastanne balsoistanne illative balsaanne balsoihinne adessive balsallanne balsoillanne ablative balsaltanne balsoiltanne allative balsallenne balsoillenne essive balsananne balsoinanne translative balsaksenne balsoiksenne abessive balsattanne balsoittanne instructive — — comitative — balsoinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative balsansa balsansa accusative nom. balsansa balsansa gen. balsansa genitive balsansa balsojensa balsainsa rare partitive balsaansa balsojaan balsojansa inessive balsassaan balsassansa balsoissaan balsoissansa elative balsastaan balsastansa balsoistaan balsoistansa illative balsaansa balsoihinsa adessive balsallaan balsallansa balsoillaan balsoillansa ablative balsaltaan balsaltansa balsoiltaan balsoiltansa allative balsalleen balsallensa balsoilleen balsoillensa essive balsanaan balsanansa balsoinaan balsoinansa translative balsakseen balsaksensa balsoikseen balsoiksensa abessive balsattaan balsattansa balsoittaan balsoittansa instructive — — comitative — balsoineen balsoinensa

Derived terms

compounds

• balsapuu

Further reading

• “balsa”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎^[1] (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 2 July 2023

Anagrams

• slaba

French

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium. Particularly: “Spanish balsa?”)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bal.za/

• Audio (France (Vosges)):

  (file)

• Audio (France (Somain)):

  (file)

Noun

balsa m (plural balsas)

1. balsa (tree, wood)

Further reading

• “balsa”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012

Galician

Etymology

Attested since circa 1300. From Paleo-Hispanic.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈbalsɐ]

Noun

balsa f (plural balsas)

1. raft; also raft-like group of trunks which are left to flow downriver
2. dam
3. balsa (tree)
4. balsa (wood)

References

• Seoane, Ernesto Xosé González; Granja, María Álvarez de la; Agrelo, Ana Isabel Boullón (2006–2022), “balsa”, in Dicionario de Dicionarios do galego medieval [Dictionary of dictionaries of Medieval Galician] (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Barreiro, Xavier Varela; Guinovart, Xavier Gómez (2006–2018), “balsa”, in Corpus Xelmírez: corpus lingüístico da Galicia medieval [Corpus Xelmírez: linguistic corpus of Medieval Galicia] (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Antón Luís Santamarina Fernández, editor (2006–2013), “balsa”, in Dicionario de Dicionarios da lingua galega [Dictionary of Dictionaries of the Galician language] (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Antón Luís Santamarina Fernández, Ernesto Xosé González Seoane, María Álvarez de la Granja, editors (2003–2018), “balsa”, in Tesouro informatizado da lingua galega (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Rosario Álvarez Blanco, editor (2014–2024), “balsa”, in Tesouro do léxico patrimonial galego e portugués (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega, →ISSN

Irish

Etymology

Borrowed from English balsa, from Spanish balsa.

Noun

balsa m (genitive singular balsa)

1. balsa (tree, wood)

Declension

Declension of balsa (fourth declension, no plural)

bare forms singular nominative balsa vocative a bhalsa genitive balsa dative balsa forms with the definite article singular nominative an balsa genitive an bhalsa dative leis an mbalsa don bhalsa

Mutation

Mutated forms of balsa

radical	lenition	eclipsis
balsa	bhalsa	mbalsa

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Modern Irish.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

References

• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977), “balsa”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla [Irish–English Dictionary], Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN

Northern Sami

Etymology

From Proto-Samic *pëlsë (whence also Inari Sami polssâ), of unknown further origin. Probably ultimately from a substrate.

Pronunciation

• (Kautokeino) IPA^(key): /ˈpalːsa/

Noun

balsa

1. palsa, mound, tussock

Inflection

Even a-stem, ls-lss gradation
Nominative	balsa
Genitive	balssa
	Singular	Plural
Nominative	balsa	balssat
Accusative	balssa	balssaid
Genitive	balssa	balssaid
Illative	balsii	balssaide
Locative	balssas	balssain
Comitative	balssain	balssaiguin
Essive	balsan
Possessive forms Singular Dual Plural 1st person balsan balsame balsamet 2nd person balsat balsade balsadet 3rd person balsas balsaska balsaset

Descendants

• → Finnish: palsa
  • → English: palsa
• Swedish: pals
  • Norwegian Bokmål: pals

Further reading

• Eino Koponen, Klaas Ruppel, Kirsti Aapala, editors (2002–2008), Álgu database: Etymological database of the Saami languages‎^[2], Helsinki: Research Institute for the Languages of Finland

Polish

balsa

Etymology

Etymology tree

Paleo-Hispanicder.

Spanish balsabor.

Polish balsa

Borrowed from Spanish balsa.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbal.sa/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -alsa
• Syllabification: bal‧sa

Noun

balsa f (related adjective balsowy)

1. balsa (Ochroma pyramidale)
2. balsa (wood of this tree)

Declension

Declension of balsa

	singular	plural
nominative	balsa	balsy
genitive	balsy	bals
dative	balsie	balsom
accusative	balsę	balsy
instrumental	balsą	balsami
locative	balsie	balsach
vocative	balso	balsy

Further reading

• “balsa”, in Wielki słownik języka polskiego‎^[3] (in Polish), Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
• “balsa”, in Polish dictionaries at PWN‎^[4] (in Polish)

Portuguese

Etymology

Etymology tree

Paleo-Hispanicder.

Spanish balsabor.

Portuguese balsa

Borrowed from Spanish balsa.

Pronunciation

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈbaw.sɐ/ [ˈbaʊ̯.sɐ]

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈbaw.sɐ/ [ˈbaʊ̯.sɐ]
  • (Southern Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈbaw.sa/ [ˈbaʊ̯.sa]

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈbal.sɐ/ [ˈbaɫ.sɐ]

• Rhymes: (Portugal) -alsɐ, (Brazil) -awsɐ
• Hyphenation: bal‧sa

Noun

balsa f (plural balsas)

1. raft
2. ferry

   Synonym: ferryboat

Further reading

• “balsa”, in Dicionário Aulete Digital (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2026
• “balsa”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2026

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from French balsa.

Noun

balsa m (uncountable)

1. balsa

Declension

singular only	indefinite	definite
nominative-accusative	balsa	balsaul
genitive-dative	balsa	balsaului
vocative	balsaule

Spanish

Etymology

From Paleo-Hispanic, probably Basque [Term?] or Iberian [Term?].

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbalsa/ [ˈbal.sa]
• Rhymes: -alsa
• Syllabification: bal‧sa

Noun

balsa f (plural balsas)

1. raft
2. ferry
3. balsa (tree)
4. puddle, pool, pond

   Synonym: charco

Derived terms

• balsa de aceite
• balsa salvavidas
• balsear
• balsero
• embalsar
• zorro de balsa

Descendants

• → English: balsa
  • → Irish: balsa
• → Portuguese: balsa
• → Tagalog: balsa

Further reading

• “balsa”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025

Tagalog

Etymology

Etymology tree

Paleo-Hispanicder.

Spanish balsabor.

Tagalog balsa

Borrowed from Spanish balsa.

Pronunciation

• (Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /balˈsa/ [bɐlˈsa]
• Rhymes: -a
• Syllabification: bal‧sa

Noun

balsá (Baybayin spelling ᜊᜎ᜔ᜐ)

1. raft

Derived terms

• balsahan
• balsahin
• ibalsa
• magbalsa
• mamalsa

Related terms

• bangkilas
• lamo
• timbugan

Anagrams

• labas, salba, sabal, salab, balas

Yogad

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium. Particularly: “Spanish balsa?”)

Noun

balsa

1. raft