Wordwyrt

frankincense

/fˈɹæŋkənˌsens/FRANG-kuhn-sens
/fˈɹæŋkənˌsɛns/FRANG-kuhn-sens

Meaningpure or free

Common meaning: aromatic resin burned as incense

Journey through time

  1. Old Frenchfranc‘pure or free’source
  2. Middle Englishfrank encens‘pure incense’source
  3. Englishfrankincense‘aromatic resin burned as incense’ · today

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

  • UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
  • No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
  • US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
  • No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.

Origin: Built on Old French franc ‘pure or free’.

Did you know: our wording, based on Skeat, Etymological Dictionary (1898), entry FRANKINCENSE, p. 218 · dictionary scan

Roots

  • franc Old French “pure or free”

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