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dam·son

(dămzən, -sən)

1. A Eurasian plum tree (Prunus domestica subsp. insititia) cultivated since ancient times for its edible fruit.

2. The oval, bluish-black, juicy fruit of this tree. In both senses also called bullace, damson plum.

[Middle English damson, damacene, from Latin (prūnum) Damascēnum, (plum) of Damascus, from Damascēnus; see DAMASCENE.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

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Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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