/san"dl wood'/ , n.
1. the fragrant heartwood of any of certain Asian trees of the genus Santalum, used for ornamental carving and burned as incense.
2. any of these trees, esp. S. album (white sandalwood) , an evergreen of India, having ovate leaves and yellowish flowers that turn red.
3. any of various related or similar trees or their woods, esp. an East Indian tree, Pterocarpus santalinus (red sandalwood) , of the legume family, or its heavy dark-red wood that yields a dye.
[ 1505-15; SANDAL 2 + WOOD 1 ]