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Glite Dictionary
Boswellia serrata

Boswellia serrata

9.9
A tree from India that makes a fragrant resin used as medicine and incense
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Boswellia serrata
  • The resin collected from Boswellia serrata is highly valued in traditional Ayurvedic medicine.

Examples

  • Scientists are studying extracts from Boswellia serrata for their potential anti-inflammatory effects.

  • Many people burn Boswellia serrata resin during religious ceremonies for its fragrant smoke.

  • The Boswellia serrata tree is known for its medicinal properties.

  • Many people use Boswellia serrata for its anti-inflammatory effects.

  • Many people burn Boswellia serrata resin during religious ceremonies for its fragrant smoke.

  • The resin collected from Boswellia serrata is highly valued in traditional Ayurvedic medicine.

  • Scientists are studying extracts from Boswellia serrata for their potential anti-inflammatory effects.

Synonyms

salai
vsBoswellia serrata
  • Indian
9.9

A tree from India that produces a resin used as incense and medicine

is the same tree but called by its scientific name

Surface Forms

Boswellia serrata singular
Boswellia serratas plural

Morphology

Boswellia + serrata

This is a scientific binomial: knowing 'Boswellia' (a genus of trees) would allow a learner to infer it is a type of tree, so part of the meaning is compositional. However, the species epithet 'serrata' is Latin and likely unknown to a B1 learner and none of the important senses (that this species yields a medicinal/incense resin and its East Indian origin) are predictable from the parts, so only partial information is recoverable.

Etymology

Boswellia serrata is the tree's scientific name: Boswellia is the plant group and serrata means 'saw-like', a picture of its small toothed leaves, while the tree's bark gives a sticky resin. People burn that resin as 'incense' and use it as traditional 'medicine', so the name points to the tree known for its fragrant, healing resin.