terebinth

[prettygoodword]

terebinth - n., a small Mediterranean tree (Pistacia terebinthus) which is the source of Chian turpentine.


And in fact, turpentine comes from this word. From Latin, from Greek terebinthos, probably of foreign origin (possibly Creto-Minoic). Terebinth is, btw, in the same botanical family as pistachios, cashews, mangoes, sumac, and poison ivy.

---L.

Comments

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

I love that family. I love cashews, I love sumac, and it's fascinating that they have the same irritant as poison ivy--and I didn't know mangoes were part of the same family.

Terebinth makes me think of Terebinthia, in the Narnia books :-)

[prettygoodword.livejournal.com]

And Terebithia, from the Bridge to.

I'm pretty sure Lewis intended the association -- terebinth is mentioned in the Bible several times.

---L.