balsa
noun
bal·sa
| \ ˈbȯl-sə
\
\
Definition of balsa
1
: a small raft or boat
specifically
: one made of tightly bundled reeds and used on Lake Titicaca
2
: a tropical American tree (Ochroma pyramidale synonym O. lagopus) of the silk-cotton family with extremely light strong wood used especially for floats
also
: its wood
Examples of balsa in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
One of the new artificial muscle designs is, in essence, a small, high-tech version of the rubber bands used to propel balsa-wood airplanes. — Sid Perkins, Scientific American, "A New Twist on Artificial Muscles," 11 July 2019 In the session devoted to structures, Michelle Kim, 11, and her partner designed and constructed a miniature bridge out of balsa wood and learned a triangle can withstand more weight than other shapes. — Mike Glenn, Houston Chronicle, "Katy ISD holds summer STEM camp," 17 June 2019 Annie’s work thus far has been meticulously verisimilar, bordering on minimalist, with depopulated nurseries and studios built of balsa wood. — Katherine Fusco, The Atlantic, "Hereditary and the Monstrousness of Creative Moms," 11 July 2018 Every child under 16 will receive a free balsa airplane of their own to make and fly. — 'sam' Boyer/special To Cleveland.com, cleveland.com, "Now it's possible to show what we talk about: Whit & Whimsey," 4 May 2018 In addition to paintings, Matos carves figures out of balsa wood and mounts them on canvases. — Susan Dunne, courant.com, "Upward Hartford: By Day A Place Of Business, By Night A Social Hub For Mingling Around Art, Music, Drink," 27 Mar. 2018 Lead architects order up model after model after model, each one an intricate sculpture in foam, paper, and balsa. — Justin Davidson, The Cut, "What Would a World Designed by Women Look Like?," 20 Mar. 2018 During the nascent days of the California surf scene, surfers were building craft out of balsa, cedar, and redwood. — Aeriel Brown, Bloomberg.com, "How to Make a Surfboard," 22 Dec. 2017 The bride's bouquet included dusty miller and eco-friendly balsa wood flowers. — Southern Living, "Chic Outdoor Wedding," 19 Jan. 2011These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'balsa.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
More Definitions for balsa
balsa
noun
English Language Learners Definition of balsa
: the very light wood of a tropical American tree
See the full definition for balsa in the English Language Learners Dictionary
balsa
noun
bal·sa
| \ ˈbȯl-sə
\
\
Kids Definition of balsa
: the very light but strong wood of a tropical American tree
Keep scrolling for more