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Glite Dictionary
gum benzoin

gum benzoin

9.6
A sticky substance from trees with a sweet scent used to protect skin and scent perfumes and incense
  • noun
  • /ɡʌm ˈbɛn.zɔɪn/
  • Specialized
translation icon : goma de benjuí
  • The herbalist recommended using gum benzoin to soothe her skin irritation.

Examples

  • He added a few drops of gum benzoin to the incense to enhance its fragrance.

  • Arts and crafts often incorporate gum benzoin for its aromatic properties.

  • Benzoic acid came from gum benzoin, a product of the near of the Far East.

Synonyms

benjamin
vsgum benzoin
  • Archaic
9.9

A fragrant gum from certain trees used in perfume, incense, and to soothe skin

is the identical substance but presented under a different entry name
gum benjamin
vsgum benzoin
  • Specialized
9.9

A fragrant resin from trees used in perfumes and to soothe irritated skin

is the identical substance but given the main entry name here
benzoin
vsgum benzoin
  • Specialized
9.6

A sticky tree resin used to protect skin and scent perfumes

includes use in incense as well as medicine and perfumes
Sumatran benzoin
vsgum benzoin
  • Specialized
8.7

A fragrant sticky substance from trees that grow in Sumatra used in perfumes and medicine

is the general resin not limited to one island or region
benzoin Sumatra
vsgum benzoin
  • Specialized
8.8

A fragrant sticky substance from a tree in Sumatra used in perfumes, incense, and medicines

is the broader resin type not tied to a single geographic origin

Surface Forms

gum benzoin singular
gum benzoins plural

Morphology

gum + benzoin

The noun phrase is a straightforward compositional compound: 'gum' (a sticky/resinous substance) combined with 'benzoin' (a specific resin) yields the meaning 'the gum/resin of benzoin'. This formation follows common noun-noun naming patterns (e.g., 'gum arabic', 'gum copal') and would be directly inferable to a B1 learner who already knows both constituents.

Etymology

Gum benzoin names a sticky tree sap: gum means the resin and benzoin is the plant it comes from. People long ago burned it for its 'fragrant' smoke and put it on wounds because it felt 'soothing', so today gum benzoin means a fragrant resin used in perfumes, incense and to protect skin.