Lewis & Short

† bălănus, i, f. and rarely m. (masc., Plin. 13, 4, 9, § 48; 15, 23, 25, § 93; Metell. ap. Macr. S. 2, 9; cf. Rudd. I. p. 31), = βάλανος.

  1. I. Lit., an acorn: glans, Plin. 16, 6, 8, § 21; 17, 20, 34, § 151; 13, 4, 9, § 42.
  2. II. Transf.
    1. A. Any fruit of similar form.
      1. 1. A kind of large chestnut, Plin. 15, 23, 25, § 93.
      2. 2. The Phœnician and Cilician date, Plin. 13, 4, 9, § 48.
      3. 3. A nut yielding a balsam; the Arabian behen- or ben-nut: Hyperanthera semidecandra, Vahl. (called myrobalanus, Plin. 12, 21, 46, § 100; 22, 20, 23, § 49): pressa tuis balanus capillis, Hor. C. 3, 29, 4.
        Also for the tree itself, Plin. 13, 9, 17, § 61.
    2. B. In gen., any object in the form of an acorn.
      1. 1. Medic. t., a suppository, Plin. 20, 5, 20, § 43; 24, 6, 21, § 31; 26, 8, 34, § 54; Cael. Aur. Acut. 2, 12.
      2. 2. A shell-fish, a species cf sea-mussel, Col. 8, 16, 7; Plin. 32, 11, 53, § 145; Plaut. Rud. 2, 1, 8; Metell. ap. Macr. S. 2, 9.