Damassine

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A variety of plum known for its sweet, rich flavor often used for making jams and desserts
2. A type of fruit characterized by its dark skin and juicy flesh, commonly enjoyed fresh or in culinary applications
3. A cultivar of a plum that is prized for its taste and is frequently harvested for both eating raw and for cooking purposes

Etymology: The name points back to Damascus. The damson plum, whose English name came from Middle English "damascene" and Latin "Damascenum," meaning "of Damascus," was long thought to have reached Europe from that Syrian city, though its exact origin is uncertain. Damassine belongs to the same family of names, formed on the stem "damas," the French form of Damascus, which also gave English "damask" for the cloth. The "-ine" ending is a French suffix often used to name plant varieties and products, so damassine most likely means something like "a plum of the Damascene kind." Its exact French coinage and date are not something I can confirm, so the name's history beyond this family resemblance is best read as a likely rather than a documented path.

Synonyms: damson, plum, fruit, prune, stone fruit