Imbalmare

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To preserve a body using chemicals or other substances to prevent decay ; to anoint or cover with a fragrant substance ; to cherish or honor the memory of someone or something by preserving their essence
2. The act of treating a corpse with preservatives to delay decomposition ; the process of applying aromatic oils or perfumes to an object or person ; the practice of maintaining the remembrance of a person or event through preservation
3. Preserving a dead body by treating it with embalming agents ; scenting or coating with fragrant material ; safeguarding the legacy or memory of someone through tribute or preservation

Etymology: Before it meant preserving the dead, the root of this verb named a fragrance. Latin "balsamum" referred to the aromatic resin of the balsam tree, a word traced to Greek "balsamon," probably borrowed from a Semitic language, though the exact source is uncertain. Medieval Latin then formed "imbalsamare," meaning to anoint with such oils. The body became the verb's main target because resins and spices had long been used to preserve corpses, as in ancient Egypt. Old French "embaumer" carried the sense into the vernacular, and English took it from there, keeping the prefix "em-" in the form we use now. The third sense, keeping a memory intact through preservation, extends the physical act into the figurative. A person or event is kept from fading the way a body is kept from decaying.

Synonyms: embalm

Antonyms: disembalm