Myrrh
noun ·Uncommon ·College level
Definitions
- 1 A red-brown resinous material, the dried sap of a tree of the genus Commiphora, especially Commiphora myrrha, used as perfume, incense or medicine. uncountable, usually
"The glories of Mary held his soul captive: spikenard and myrrh and frankincense, symbolising the preciousness of God's gifts to her soul, rich garments, symbolising her royal lineage, her emblems, the lateflowering plant and lateblossoming tree, symbolising the agelong gradual growth of her cultus among men."
- 2 aromatic resin that is burned as incense and used in perfume wordnet
- 3 Synonym of chrism. uncountable, usually
- 4 The herb chervil. Scotland, uncountable, usually
Example
More examples"When the Three Wise Men rode from the East into the West on that "first, best Christmas night," they bore on their saddle-bows three caskets filled with gold and frankincense and myrrh, to be laid at the feet of the manger-cradled babe of Bethlehem."
Etymology
From Middle English mirre, from Old English myrre, from Latin myrrha, from Ancient Greek μύρρα (múrrha), from Semitic. Compare Arabic مُرّ (murr, “myrrh”, literally “bitterness”), Hebrew מור / מֹר (mōr, “myrrh”, literally “bitterness”). Compare מרור : maror.
Related phrases
More for "myrrh"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.