English
incense
Incense comes from Old French encens ‘sweet-smelling substance’, from Late Latin incensum ‘burnt incense’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₁én ‘in’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₁én‘in’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*en‘in’reconstructed
- Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*en-‘in, into, in-’reconstructed
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEincendō‘to set on fire’
- Late Latin, derivedc. 200–600 CEincensum‘burnt incense’literally ‘something burnt’neuter past participle of incendō
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400encens‘sweet-smelling substance’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500encens
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1603incense
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₁én‘in’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*en‘in’reconstructed
- Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*en-‘in, into, in-’reconstructed
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEincendō‘to set on fire’
- Late Latin, derivedc. 200–600 CEincensum‘burnt incense’literally ‘something burnt’neuter past participle of incendō
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400encens‘sweet-smelling substance’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500encens
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1603incense
Earliest quotation: c. 1603, Iohn Marston, The Malcontent: “To haue her bound, incenſed with wanton ſweetes, /…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *h₁én ‘in’
in, internal, indigenous, entrance, intern, endo, dysentery, interregnum, enteral, 31 more
through Proto-Italic *en ‘in’
encounter, intimate, ensemble, intestine, agog, intimation, 7 more
through Proto-Italic *en- ‘in, into, in-’
impulse, infirmary, incubation, infirm, impel, incubus, incubate, 6 more
through Old French encens ‘sweet-smelling substance’
Today it means
noun Biotic material that releases fragrant smoke when burnt, often used in religious rites or for aesthetic reasons.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₁én / incense