sandalwood
UK[ˈsændlwʊd]US[ˈsændlwʊd]
n
a fragrant wood obtained from various tropical trees, used for carving and in perfumes and incense.
Morpheme Breakdown
sandal
wood
sandal
type of fragrant wood
wood
material
Etymology
the word 'sandalwood' is a compound formed from 'sandal' and 'wood'. the term 'sandal' traces back through latin 'santalum' to ancient sanskrit 'candanaḥ', which specifically referred to the fragrant sandalwood tree. this was combined with the old english word 'wudu', meaning the substance of a tree, to create a transparent english name for the aromatic timber. the compound thus directly names the material by its botanical source, preserving the ancient association of the 'sandal' element with its distinctive, prized fragrance.
Analysis
Structure: sandal (type of fragrant wood) + wood (material)
sandal (from latin 'santalum', ultimately from sanskrit 'candanaḥ', denoting the fragrant tree/wood); wood (from old english 'wudu', meaning 'tree, forest, the substance of trees').
Examples
the delicate scent of sandalwood filled the temple.
the box was intricately carved from a single block of sandalwood.
sandalwood oil is a common base note in many classic perfumes.