Labdanic

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Relating to or derived from a resinous substance obtained from certain shrubs, especially used in perfumery and aromatic preparations; describing the scent or properties of this sticky material
2. Characteristic of a sticky, aromatic resin produced by specific plants, often collected for use in fragrances and traditional remedies; pertaining to the qualities of labdanum
3. Pertaining to a fragrant, viscous resin sourced from evergreen shrubs, frequently utilized in scent formulations and herbal applications; associated with the resin's distinctive aroma and texture

Etymology: Long before it described a perfume note, the resin itself was prized, and the goat story is the detail that sticks. Writers from antiquity onward reported that labdanum was gathered by combing the sticky resin from the beards and flanks of goats that had brushed against the rockrose shrubs. Whether or not the method was common, the resin's name traveled with it. That name, "labdanum," came into Greek as "ladanon" from Arabic "ladan," and the word was then passed through Latin into European languages. "Labdanic" is simply the English adjective formed from that noun with the suffix "-ic," meaning relating to or having the qualities of the resin. It is used mainly for the thick, amber, faintly leathery scent that the resin lends to perfumes and incense.

Synonyms: resinous, balsamic

Antonyms: nonresinous