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Webster 1913 Edition


bdellium

bdel′lium

,
Noun.
[L., fr. Gr.
βδέλλιον
; cf. Heb.
b’dolakh
bdellium (in sense 1).]
1.
An unidentified substance mentioned in the Bible (
Gen. ii. 12
, and
Num. xi. 7
), variously taken to be a gum, a precious stone, or pearls, or perhaps a kind of amber found in Arabia.
2.
A gum resin of reddish brown color, brought from India, Persia, and Africa.
Indian bdellium
or
false myrrh
is an exudation from
Balsamodendron Roxburghii
. Other kinds are known as
African bdellium
,
Sicilian bdellium
, etc.

Webster 1828 Edition


Bdellium

BDEL'LIUM

,
Noun.
[ Bochard and Parkhurst translate it, pearl. Gen.2. But it is doubtful whether the bdellium of the scriptures is that now used.]
A gummy resinous juice, produced by a tree in the East Indies, of which we have no satisfactory account. It is brought from the E. Indies and from Arabia, in pieces of different sizes and figures, externally of a dark reddish brown, internally, clear and not unlike to glue. To the taste, it is slightly bitterish and pungent; its odor is agreeable. In the mouth, it becomes soft and sticks to the teeth; on a red hot iron, it readily catches flame and burns with a crackling noise. It is used as a perfume and a medicine, being a weak deobstruent.

Definition 2024


bdellium

bdellium

English

Noun

bdellium (countable and uncountable, plural bdelliums)

  1. Probably an aromatic gum like balsam that was exuded from a tree, probably one of several species in the genus Commiphora.

Translations


Latin

Etymology

From Ancient Greek βδέλλιον (bdéllion).

Pronunciation

  • (Classical) IPA(key): /ˈbdel.li.um/, [ˈbdɛl.li.ũ]

Noun

bdellium n (genitive bdelliī); second declension

  1. an aromatic gum exuded from a tree, probably one of several species in the genus Commiphora, used as an adulterant of the more costly myrrh. Also the plant itself.

Inflection

Second declension.

Case Singular Plural
nominative bdellium bdellia
genitive bdelliī bdelliōrum
dative bdelliō bdelliīs
accusative bdellium bdellia
ablative bdelliō bdelliīs
vocative bdellium bdellia

References