Camass
/ˈkæməs/noun
A North American plant of the genus Camassia, especially one with an edible bulb.
Did you know?Camass bulbs were an important traditional food for Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest and were often pit-roasted, which converted their inulin into sweeter sugars.
Etymological Timeline
Before European contact
Nez Perce
q’em’es
“A traditional name for the edible bulb of the camas plant; the precise original sense is reported with variant spellings.”
18th Century
Chinook Jargon
kamas
“The camas plant or its edible bulb, used as a trade-language term in the Pacific Northwest.”
1790s
English
camas
“An adopted English name for the North American bulb plant.”
19th Century
English
camass
“A variant spelling of camas, referring to the same plant.”
Modern English
English
camass
“A less common spelling for a Camassia plant, especially the edible-bulbed species.”