Styrax

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A natural resin extracted from particular tree species, often utilized for its pleasant fragrance in perfumes and incenses
2. A fragrant substance derived from specific plants, primarily used in the production of scented items and incense
3. A resin obtained from certain trees that is commonly valued for its aromatic qualities in the manufacture of perfumes and incense

Etymology: The resin itself is ancient, and its name came to English by a roundabout route. "Styrax" was a Greek word for the aromatic gum of a Mediterranean shrub, and it later became the scientific name of the genus of trees that produce it. English took the word back from botanists, so the resin's name was borrowed from the name of the plant family rather than the other way round. The same Greek source gave English a second form, "storax", which came in earlier through a more ordinary route and survives as a doublet. The two spellings settled into different roles: "storax" names the resin, while "styrax" keeps the scientific sense of the genus.