# \*bśm 'balsam-oil'

A Proto-Semitic root the Linear A Lexicon's readings rest on.

- Author's gloss: balsam tree and its oil; perfume
- Record: https://github.com/plasma-ai/kaphtor/blob/add28e9473c07931be80fd0b364181739fc5519a/wiki/semitic-roots/b/S84_balsam_oil.md

## In Linear A

- [\*333-SA-MU](<https://linear-a.ai/lexicon/*333-SA-MU/index.md>) (biśāmu): Balsam, perfume—aromatic personal name (cf. Basemath) on a metal ornament

## Notes

OLA80 16.3. Greek βάλσαμον borrowed from Semitic bśm. The -λσ- transcription of ś proves lateral character of this phoneme. May be Phoenician loanword.

## Reflexes: Northwest Semitic

- Hebrew: bośem, bẹśẹm (LGz. 110) (HALOT 163) (gloss withheld)
- Aramaic: būsmā (LGz. 110); bšym (DNWSI 204) (gloss withheld)
- Syrian Aramaic: besmā (LGz. 110) (Payne Smith 49) (gloss withheld)
- Phoenician: bšm (LGz. 110)
- Punic: bšm (DNWSI 203–204) (gloss withheld)

## Reflexes: Arabic

- Arabic: bašām (LGz. 110) (Lane 209) (HALOT 163) (gloss withheld)

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Page: https://linear-a.ai/roots/S84/
Licence: CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Cite as: di Mino, Tom. 2026. Linear A Lexicon. Plasma AI. https://linear-a.ai/. Data: kaphtor, commit add28e94.