1
Stage 1 of 6
candana
Sanskrit · ancient
"fragrant wood for incense"
named the fragrant heartwood burned as incense in ritual
2
Stage 2 of 6
čandan
Middle Persian · 1st millennium
"the fragrant Indian wood"
traders carried the Sanskrit name west with the wood itself
3
Stage 3 of 6
sandal
Arabic · medieval
"fragrant wood"
Arab merchants passed the word along the incense trade routes
4
Stage 4 of 6
santalon
Byzantine Greek · medieval
"sandalwood"
Greek-speaking traders adopted the Arabic form
5
Stage 5 of 6
sandalum
Medieval Latin · 12th-14th c.
"sandalwood"
entered scholarly Latin, then Old French
6
Stage 6 of 6
sandalwood
English · 15th c.
"the fragrant wood and the tree"
Middle English sandell fused with 'wood' to name the tree and its timber
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