Aloeswood

/ˈæloʊzwʊd/ noun

Definition

Fragrant wood from tropical trees, used in incense and perfumes; also called eaglewood or agarwood.

Etymology

From aloe + wood. While seemingly from the aloe plant, aloeswood actually comes from Aquilaria trees infected with fungus, creating dark fragrant resin. The naming confusion arose from medieval spice trade terminology.

Kelly Says

Here's a wild word confusion: aloeswood has nothing to do with aloe plants—it's actually infected tropical tree wood that smells amazing. Medieval traders called it aloes because they thought it came from aloe regions, and the name stuck even though it's completely different.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.