Bambusa
/bæmˈbuːsə/noun
A genus of tropical and subtropical woody grasses commonly known as bamboos.
Did you know?The name was Latinized from Asian words for bamboo, but its ultimate linguistic source is uncertain, so claims that it secretly means “spirit plant” are modern invention.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient South and Southeast Asia
Indo-Aryan and Austronesian languages
bambu / bambu
“Regional words referring to bamboo; the deeper origin is uncertain and may involve borrowing between Asian languages.”
16th Century
Portuguese
bambu
“A loanword for bamboo encountered through Portuguese contact with South and Southeast Asia.”
17th Century
Dutch
bamboes
“A European form referring to the bamboo plant, likely influenced by Asian trade vocabulary.”
1753
Botanical Latin
Bambusa
“A Latinized botanical form used by Linnaeus for the bamboo genus.”
Modern English
English
Bambusa
“The accepted genus name for many tropical and subtropical bamboo species.”