late 14c. as a noun, "inhabitant of Syria," from Latin Damascenum; 1540s as an adjective, "of or pertaining to Damascus; of or resembling damask fabric," from Latin Damascenus "of Damascus," from Damascus (see Damascus).
Entries linking to damascene
Damascus
ancient city in Syria, famous in medieval times for silk and steel, mid-13c., probably via Old French, from Latin Damascus, from Greek Damaskos, from Semitic (compare Hebrew Dammeseq, Arabic Dimashq), from a pre-Semitic name of unknown origin.