frankincense
(ˈfræŋkɪnsɛns)
Forms: 4 franke ensens, 5 frank encens, -ensence, -ynsens, 6 frankenscence, -insence, (6–7 fran(c)kumsence), 6– frankincense.
[a. OF. franc encens: see frank a.2 and incense. The special meaning of the adj. in this combination seems to be ‘of high quality’: see frank a.2 5.]
1. An aromatic gum resin, yielded by trees of the genus Boswellia, used for burning as incense; olibanum; occas. the smoke from the same.
| a 1387 Sinon. Barthol. (Anecd. Oxon.) 42 Thus album, i. olibanum, franke ensens. c 1450 Cov. Myst. (Shaks. Soc.) 8 Kynges iij With gold, myrre, and ffrankynsens. ? c 1475 Sqr. lowe Degre 849 Cloves that be swete smellyng, Frankensence, and olibanum. 1552 Latimer Serm. Gosp. vi. 188 Franckumsence to signify his priesthoode. 1645 Fuller Good Th. in Bad T. (1841) 50 He..sent Leonidas a present of five hundred talents' weight of frankincense. 1718 Prior Pleasure 904 Curling frankincense ascends to Baal. 1834 Lytton Pompeii iv. iii, Odour of myrrh and frankincense. |
2. Resin resembling this, obtained from firs or pines. Also, the tree itself.
| 1577 Harrison England ii. xxii. (1877) i. 342 The firre, frankincense, and pine we doo not altogither want. 1620 J. Mason Brief Disc. Newfoundland B iij, Tarre, Tirpintine, Frank-Incense. 1866 Treas. Bot., Frankincense..European, a resinous exudation of the spruce fir. The name is also applied to Pinus Tæda. |
3. attrib. as frankincense-pine, frankincense-tree.
| 1611 Bible Ecclus. l. 8 As the branches of the frankincense tree in the time of summer. 1671 Salmon Syn. Med. iii. xxii. 436 Frankincense tree. c 1865 Letheby in Circ. Sc. I. 106/1 The Frankincense pine of Virginia (Pinus tæda). |
Hence ˈfrankincensed a., perfumed with frankincense.
| 1860 Ruskin Mod. Paint. V. ix. i. 204 No velvet-bound missal, nor frankincensed manuscript. |