Olibanum
/ˈɒl.ɪ.bə.nəm/noun
A fragrant gum resin obtained from trees of the genus Boswellia and burned as incense.
Did you know?Olibanum is a linguistic relative of Arabic lubān and Hebrew לבונה (lebonah), both associated with whiteness and frankincense’s pale, milky resin.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Semitic
Proto-Semitic
*lbn
“White; a root associated with whiteness or milkiness”
Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew
לְבוֹנָה (lebonah)
“Frankincense, literally associated with the white resin”
Classical Greek
Greek
λίβανος (libanos)
“Frankincense; an aromatic incense resin”
Medieval Arabic
Arabic
al-lubān
“The frankincense; al- means “the,” while lubān refers to the resin”
Medieval Latin
Medieval Latin
olibanum
“Frankincense, adopted from Arabic through Greek and related forms”
14th Century
English
olibanum
“Frankincense or its fragrant resin”
Modern English
English
olibanum
“A gum resin from Boswellia trees, used especially as incense”