balsa

noun

Etymology: Etymology tree Paleo-Hispanicder. Spanish balsabor. English balsa Borrowed from Spanish balsa, from Paleo-Hispanic, probably Basque [Term?] or Iberian [Term?]. Not related to balsam.

1. A large tree, Ochroma pyramidale, native to tropical America, with wood that is very light in weight.
2. The wood of this tree.
3. A raft or float, used principally on the Pacific coast of South America.