calamus

English

Wikipedia

Acorus calamus

Wikispecies

Etymology

From Latin calamus (“reed, cane”).

Noun

calamus (usually uncountable; plural calamuses or calami)

1. The sweet flag, Acorus calamus.

   A garden inclosed is my sister, my spouse; a spring shut up, a fountain sealed. Thy plants are an orchard of pomegranates, with pleasant fruits; camphire, with spikenard, Spikenard and saffron; calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense; myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices (Song of Solomon 4:12-14, KJV)

2. A quill.

Translations

sweet flag, acorus calamus

• Bulgarian: ратанова палма (bg) (ratanova palma)
• Icelandic: kalmusrót (is) f

• Volapük: (Acorus) kaor (vo)

a quill

• Galician: cálamo (gl) m

• Icelandic: fjöðurstafur (is) m

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Latin

Etymology

From Ancient Greek κάλαμος (kalamos).

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA: /ˈka.la.mus/

Noun

calamus (genitive calamī); m, second declension

1. a reed, cane
2. (by extension) an object made from a reed, such as a pen, arrow, or fishing rod
3. (of plants) a stalk, straw, blade
4. the hollow arm of a candelabra

Inflection

Number	Singular	Plural
nominative	calamus	calamī
genitive	calamī	calamōrum
dative	calamō	calamīs
accusative	calamum	calamōs
ablative	calamō	calamīs
vocative	calame	calamī

Derived terms

• calamārius

Descendants

Albanian: kallam English: calamus French: chaume

Italian: calamo Romanian: carâmb Spanish: cálamo, carámbano

References

• calamus in Charlton T. Lewis & Charles Short, A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1879