Baum

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of tree, often referred to in botanical contexts
2. A term used in various languages to denote a plant in the family of woody perennials
3. Referring to a structural element in wood cultures and craftsmanship

Etymology: In German, "Baum" simply means tree, and it descends from the Proto-Germanic "*baumaz", which carried the same sense. English "beam" comes from the same root. Old English "bēam" meant a tree, and a wooden timber used in building was the most concrete sense of the word. The English word then spread into other meanings, including a ray of light, which is already attested in Old English. The structural sense the gloss describes is therefore the English "beam" branch of this family, not the core German meaning. In German the tree sense has stayed central, and the building sense is carried by other words.

Synonyms: tree