FRANKINCENSE

[frank.in.cense] n [ME fraunk encense, fr. OF franc encens, fr. franc (perh. in sense "of high quality") + encens incense] (14c): a fragrant gum resin from trees of a genus (Boswellia of the family Burseraceae) of Somalia and southern coastal Arabia that is an important incense resin and was used in ancient times in religious rites and in embalming