Myrrh
/mɜːr/noun
A fragrant resin from certain trees, used in incense, perfume, and traditional medicine.
Did you know?Myrrh entered English through Greek and Latin from a Semitic source, and its bitter-sweet aroma made it a prized ritual substance in the ancient Near East and the biblical world.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Semitic
PSem
??
“A bitter aromatic resin or gum”
Ancient Greek
Greek
myrrha
“Myrrh, the fragrant resin”
Latin
Latin
myrrha
“Myrrh”
Old French
OF
mirre
“Myrrh”
Middle English
English
mirre
“Myrrh”
Modern English
English
myrrh
“A fragrant resin used in incense, perfumery, and medicine”