DCHP-1 Online

sagakomi sac a comis, saccacommi(s) [< Algonk.; cf. Ojibwa sagākomin smoking-leaf berry] Obs. The long accepted etymology of the French variant sac à commis (sac pouch + commis clerk--see 1889 quote at def. 1 and 1823 quote at def. 2) is a folk etymology, perhaps based on a pun.

• 1 n. the leaf of the bearberry (def. 1), used alone or mixed with tobacco for smoking.

  See also: bearberry (def. 3)  

  • 1703  (1905)  They are forc'd to buy up Brasil Tobaco, which they mix with a certain Leaf . . . call'd Sagakomi.
  • 1830  (1837)  . . . Saccacommi [is] frequently used to smoke in lieu of tobacco, by the traders' engaged in the fur countries. . . .
  • 1890  Grain d'ours, bear berry, also called sac à commis, [is a] creeping plant which is smoked, and which the clerks put in their sacs. . . .
  • 1912  (1913)  Sagakomi. The name of a certain smoking mixture, or substitute for tobacco [as] bearberry . . . or other shrubs the leaves and bark of which are used for the same purpose.

• 2 n.

  See also: bearberry (defs. 1 and 2a)  

  • 1823  Jackashey-puck . . . has received the name of Sac à Commis, from the trading clerks carrying it in their smoking bags.
  • 1836  We passed many sand-hills, variegated by the . . . plant called . . . by the traders, "sac a commis". . . .
  • 1912, 1913  Sagakomi [is] the bearberry bush. . . .