styrax
styrax Lexical Profile
styrax Game Scores & Validity
• noun
Any deciduous or evergreen shrub or small tree of the genus Styrax (family Styracaceae), native to warm temperate and tropical regions of the Americas, eastern Asia, and the Mediterranean, cultivated as an ornamental for its pendulous clusters of fragrant, bell-shaped white flowers and source of benzoin resin.
A fragrant balsamic resin obtained from the bark of certain trees of the genera Styrax or Liquidambar, used in perfumery, incense, and traditional medicine.
"The perfumer blended styrax with frankincense to give the fragrance a warm, balsamic base note."
• Rhymes for styrax
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed from Latin styrax, from Ancient Greek styrax (referring to the storax tree and its aromatic resin), which is likely a loanword of Semitic origin.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.