Skip to main content
spikenard

spikenard

1 9.9
A rare fragrant oil from plants used long ago for smell and healing
  • noun
  • /ˈspaɪkˌnɑrd/
  • Archaic
translation icon : espikenardo
  • I've been thinking of replacing them with American Spikenard (Aralia racemosa).
  • American spikenard

There's also the power of the what's called the spikenard, right, this ring.

Examples

  • During the ceremony, the priest poured spikenard onto the altar as an offering.

  • I like the idea of the spikenard and serviceberry, and I love those ostrich ferns.

    Blog text (6)
  • "You smell of spikenards."

    Fiction book (1997)
  • Out there grow the wild lilies as well, whose intense fragrance, heavy and opaque like the scent of spikenard, cuts through the dry, vitreous smell of the sand.

    Fiction book (1995)
  • The ancient Egyptians used spikenard in their embalming rituals for its fragrant properties.

  • She chose spikenard oil to enhance her homemade perfume because of its rich scent.

Synonyms

nard
vsspikenard
  • Archaic
3 9.9

A fragrant oil used as perfume and medicine in ancient times

is the identical ancient aromatic ointment valued for fragrance and healing
balsam
vsspikenard
  • Specialized
2 7.7

A sticky fragrant gum from some trees used for medicine and perfumes

is the specific ancient aromatic ointment rather than a general resin
benzoin
vsspikenard
  • Specialized
9.6

A sticky tree resin used to protect skin and scent perfumes

is an aromatic ointment focused on ancient perfume and medicinal use
ladanum
vsspikenard
  • Specialized
9.9

A soft, sticky dark sap from Mediterranean shrubs used in perfumes to make the scent last

is an applied fragrant ointment rather than a concentrated perfumery resin
spike lavender oil
vsspikenard
8.3

An oil that has a strong lavender smell and scents soaps and cosmetics

is a plant-based aromatic ointment used historically for perfume and healing
spike oil
vsspikenard
9.8

A pale yellow oil from spike lavender used to scent soap and beauty products

is a plant-based aromatic ointment used historically for perfume and healing

Compounds

A tall North American plant with strong-smelling roots and clusters of small greenish flowers

Surface Forms

spikenard singular
spikenards plural

Etymology

Spikenard comes from spike + nard, where spike points to the plant's long flower and nard was an old name for a plant from India known for its 'sweet smell'. So spikenard means the sweet-smelling oil or ointment made from that plant, which is why it was a precious perfume in ancient ceremonies.