incense

Etymology

From Middle English 'encens,' from Old French 'encens' (incense), from Late Latin 'incensum' (incense, that which is burned), noun use of the neuter past participle of Latin 'incendere' (to set on fire, to kindle, to inflame), from 'in-' (into, upon) + 'candēre' (to glow, to shine, to be white-hot). Latin 'candēre' derives from Proto-Indo-European *kand- (to shine, to glow), which also produced 'candle' (via Latin 'candēla'), 'candid' (originally meaning white, glowing), 'candidate' (from the white toga worn by Roman office-seekers), 'incandescent,' and 'chandelier' (via French, from Latin 'candēlārium'). There is a separate verb 'to incense' (meaning to enrage), which comes from the same Latin root — the metaphor of being inflamed with anger. The word preserves the ancient connection between fire, light, and ritual purification found across Indo-European cultures. Key roots: *kand- (Proto-Indo-European: "to shine, to glow").

Incense traces back to Proto-Indo-European *kand-, meaning "to shine, to glow". Across languages it shares form or sense with French encens, Italian incenso, Spanish incienso and German (holy smoke — different root) Weihrauch, evidence of a shared etymological family.