Encensier

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A person who carries a censer of burning incense, especially in a religious procession or ceremony
2. An attendant assigned to swing a censer filled with incense during church services or rites
3. The officer in a ceremony whose task is to bear and waft the vessel that releases fragrant smoke

Etymology: "Encensier" is an Old French word for a censer-bearer, the server in a church who carried the swinging incense burner during services. It descends from Late Latin "incensarius," formed from "incensum," the past participle of "incendere," meaning "to set fire to" or "to kindle." Incense itself was originally the thing set alight, so the word's core idea is burning, not perfume. The French form came into English in the Middle Ages, as "encenser" and related forms, and was used of the official whose job was to swing the censer at Mass. English, however, had already adopted "censer" for the vessel, so "encensier" never became a common English term and remains a rare, largely historical word.