benzoin
/ˈbɛnzəʊɪn/
Word Rarity
Very rare
Frequency: 1.84 in modern English
18
Scrabble Score
7
Letters
2
Syllables
6
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A resinous substance, dry and brittle, obtained from Styrax benzoin, a tree of Sumatra, Java, etc., having a fragrant odor, and slightly aromatic taste. It is used in the preparation of benzoic acid, in medicine, and as a perfume.
Countable; Uncountable
noun
An aromatic hydroxy ketone, 2-hydroxy-1,2-di(phenyl)ethanone, synthesized from benzaldehyde; any derivative of this compound.
Countable; Uncountable
Example Sentences
- "These following bodies do not draw: smaragd, achates, corneolus, pearl, jaspis, chalcedonius, alabaster, porphyry, coral, marble, touchstone, haematites, or bloodstone; smyris, ivory, bones, ebontree, cedar, cypress, pitch, softer rosin, camphire, galbanum, ammoniac, storax, benzoin, loadstone, asphaltum."
- "Aromatics were used, too, especially in necromancy, and an old recipe of that sort comprises Musk, Myrrh, Frankincense, Red Storax, Mastick, Olibanum, Saffron, Benzoin and Labdanum."
- "Nedde: In Arab countries, a mixture of various perfumes, with benzoin and amber predominating, is so called. This mixture, which is black in colour, is formed into a small cylinder and used aphrodisiacally."
Etymology
Etymology tree Arabic لُبَان (lubān) Proto-Indo-European *yew- Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Indo-European *yéwos Proto-Indo-Iranian *yáwas Sanskrit यव (yava)bor.? Proto-Austronesian *zawa Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *zawader.? Old Javanese jawa Old Javanese -i Old Javanese Jawi Javanese ꦗꦮꦶ (jawi)der. Arabic جَاوَة (jāwa) Proto-Afroasiatic Proto-Semitic Arabic ـِيّ (-iyy) Arabic جَاوِيّ (jāwiyy) Arabic لُبَان جَاوِيّ (lubān jāwiyy)bor. Catalan benjuíder. Middle French benjoinder. English benzoin From Middle French benjoin, from Catalan benjuí, from Arabic لُبَان جَاوِيّ (lubān jāwiyy, “Javanese frankincense”). The first word is from Proto-West Semitic *laban- (“white”), the second from جاوة (jāwa, “Java”) (from Javanese ꦗꦮ (jawa)). The initial lu was probably lost because it was taken as the definite article in Romance. Compare oliban.
Origin
Word Breakdown
Regional Pronunciation
- British English: /ˈbɛnzəʊɪn/
Usage
Inflected Forms
Derived Forms
Phrases
flowers of benzoin