balsa

noun

bal·​sa ˈbȯl-sə How to pronounce balsa (audio)
1
: a small raft or boat
specifically : one made of tightly bundled reeds and used on Lake Titicaca
2
: a tropical American tree (Ochroma pyramidale synonym O. lagopus) of the silk-cotton family with extremely light strong wood used especially for floats
also : its wood

Examples of balsa in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web For the first 30 years, my prosthesis was balsa wood with a simple mechanical knee. Jothy Rosenberg, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2024 The way all this plays out is lighter than balsa wood. Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 22 Nov. 2023 Across the room, a balsa prototype of the iconic, spiderlike rigging used on U2’s 360° tour leans off an easel spattered with inky sketches. WIRED, 4 Oct. 2023 The floor boards are a composite of fiberglass and balsa wood. Csaba Csere, Car and Driver, 7 Sep. 2023 Secured balsa wood splints behind her knees to restrict her movement. Lexi Pandell, WIRED, 31 Aug. 2023 Mindy, who takes to a balsa Hobie as easily as Carol once did, has bigger plans. Bethanne Patrick, Los Angeles Times, 3 Aug. 2023 Its moderate action is perfect for casting small plastic and balsa crankbaits, including Rapala’s No. 7 Shad Rap, which weighs 5/16 ounces. Pete M. Anderson, Field & Stream, 21 June 2023 Of the 60,000 species, the team chose balsa wood for its strength, even when one of the components of its structure—lignin—was largely removed to make more room for conducting materials. IEEE Spectrum, 29 Apr. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'balsa.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Spanish

First Known Use

circa 1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of balsa was circa 1600

Dictionary Entries Near balsa

Cite this Entry

“Balsa.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/balsa. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

balsa

noun
bal·​sa ˈbȯl-sə How to pronounce balsa (audio)
1
: raft entry 1
especially : one made of two cylinders of metal or wood joined by a frame
2
: a tropical American tree with extremely light strong wood used especially for floats
also : its wood

More from Merriam-Webster on balsa

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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