ˈmər, ˈmə̄ noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English myrre, mirre, from Old English myrre, myrra, from Latin murra, murrha, myrrha, from Greek myrrha, of Semitic origin; akin to Hebrew mōr myrrh, mar bitter, Arabic murr myrrh, bitter
1. : a yellow to reddish brown aromatic bitter gum resin that is obtained from various trees of the genus Commiphora especially of East Africa and Arabia (as C. myrrha or C. abyssinica ), that was used by the ancients as an ingredient of incense and perfumes and as a remedy for local application, and that is used today chiefly in the manufacture of dentifrices and perfumes and as a stimulating tonic — see bisabol , herabol myrrh ; compare bdellium
2. : labdanum or a mixture of myrrh and labdanum
they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh — Mt 2:11(Revised Standard Version)
3. : the European sweet cicely