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Glite Dictionary
true sandalwood

true sandalwood

9.1
A tree that grows on other plants in Indonesia and Malaysia with yellow, fragrant wood that repels insects
  • noun
  • /truː ˈsændlˌwʊd/
  • Australian
translation icon : sándalo verdadero
  • The heartwood of true sandalwood is prized for its ability to repel insects naturally.

Examples

  • Many antique boxes from Southeast Asia are crafted from true sandalwood because of its pleasant aroma.

  • The true sandalwood tree grows primarily in Indonesia.

  • Due to overharvesting, true sandalwood has become increasingly rare in the wild.

  • Many artisans prefer using true sandalwood for their carvings.

  • Many antique boxes from true sandalwood are crafted from its fragrant heartwood, making them highly sought after.

  • The heartwood of true sandalwood is valued for its pleasant scent and effectiveness in repelling insects.

  • Due to overharvesting, true sandalwood has become a rare and precious resource in the market.

Synonyms

Santalum album
vstrue sandalwood
  • Specialized
9.9

A small tree with very fragrant wood used for perfume and carving

is the specific parasitic tree valued for its insect repelling heartwood
sandalwood tree
vstrue sandalwood
5.6

A tree from Indonesia and Malaysia with sweet-smelling inner wood used to make perfume, oil, and furniture

is the specific parasitic tree valued for its insect repelling heartwood

Surface Forms

true sandalwood singular
true sandalwoods plural

Morphology

true + sandalwood

The noun phrase is directly compositional: 'true' (genuine) modifies 'sandalwood' (the fragrant wood/tree), so a learner who knows both words can infer this refers to the genuine/specific sandalwood tree. The 'true + noun' pattern is common cross-linguistically and follows ordinary adjectival modification, making the meaning transparent to a B1 learner.

Etymology

True sandalwood was a name used by traders and craftspeople to show the 'real' aromatic wood — the yellow heartwood that gives a strong scent and naturally keeps insects away. So the phrase came to mean the genuine, valuable sandalwood tree used for chests and other objects.