calamus

Borrowed from Latin calamus (“reed, cane”), from Ancient Greek κάλαμος (kálamos). Doublet of shawm.

calamus (usually uncountable, plural calamuses or calami)

1. The sweet flag, Acorus calamus.
   • Song of Solomon 4:12-14, KJV

     A garden inclosed is my sister, my spouse; a spring shut up, a fountain sealed. Thy plants are an orchard of pomegranates, with pleasant fruits; camphire, with spikenard, Spikenard and saffron; calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense; myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices

2. A quill (Can we verify⁽⁺⁾ this sense?).

From Ancient Greek κάλαμος (kálamos).

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈka.la.mus/, [ˈka.ɫa.mʊs]

calamus m (genitive calamī); second declension

1. a reed, cane
2. (by extension) an object made from a reed, such as a pen, arrow, or fishing rod
   • Motto of Keio University:

     Calamus gladio fortior

     The pen is mightier than the sword.

3. (of plants) a stalk, straw, blade
4. the hollow arm of a candelabrum

Second declension.

• calamārius
• calamister

• calamus in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• calamus in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• calamus in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition, 1883–1887)
• calamus in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire Illustré Latin-Français, Hachette
• calamus in Harry Thurston Peck, editor (1898) Harper's Dictionary of Classical Antiquities, New York: Harper & Brothers
• calamus in William Smith et al., editor (1890) A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, London: William Wayte. G. E. Marindin