What does agarwood mean?
Agarwood is the dark, resin-saturated heartwood that forms inside Aquilaria trees after they are infected by a particular mold. Rather than destroying the timber, the infection prompts the tree to produce a dense, aromatic resin that has been treasured for centuries across the Middle East and Asia. Known also as oud, aloeswood, eaglewood, or gaharu, agarwood is burned as incense, distilled into one of the world's costliest essential oils, and used in traditional medicine and religious ceremony. Because only infected trees yield usable wood and wild supplies have dwindled, top-grade agarwood can command prices exceeding those of gold, making it among the most valuable raw materials in perfumery. In writing, the word appears chiefly in discussions of fragrance, luxury goods, and cultural tradition, where it evokes rarity, opulence, and deep, smoky sweetness.
nounA dark, fragrant resinous heartwood produced by Aquilaria trees when they become infected with mold, prized as one of the most expensive raw materials in the world and used in incense, perfume, and traditional medicine.
- The resinous, aromatic heartwood formed in Aquilaria trees in response to fungal infection, valued for incense and perfumery.
- By extension, the essential oil or perfume material (often called oud or dehn al-oud) distilled from that wood.
"The perfumer blended a trace of agarwood into the fragrance, lending it a deep, smoky richness."
"Burning a few slivers of agarwood filled the room with a rich, balsamic smoke."
"Pure agarwood oil commands extraordinary prices on the international perfume market."
Rarely pluralized; the plural appears mainly in trade contexts referring to distinct pieces, grades, or consignments of the wood.
"The auction house catalogued several rare agarwoods from Southeast Asian plantations."
Mold-infected wood sounds like a defect, but agarwood can sell for more per ounce than gold — infection is exactly what makes it precious.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of agarwood
The name agarwood combines "agar" with "wood." The element "agar" entered English through Hindi and Urdu, ultimately tracing back to the Sanskrit word aguru, which denoted this same precious scented wood. Related names for the material circulate across languages: Arabic gives us oud, Malay contributes gaharu, and older European texts refer to it as aloeswood or eaglewood. The compound agarwood itself became established in English during the early modern period as trade in Asian aromatics expanded.
How agarwood is actually used
Agarwood is an uncountable commodity noun in most contexts, though it can take plural form when referring to distinct pieces or grades of wood. It carries connotations of luxury, rarity, and Middle Eastern and East Asian perfumery traditions, where it is better known by the names oud, aloeswood, or gaharu. The term is most at home in perfumery, incense trade, and cultural writing rather than everyday conversation.
Easily confused with agarwood
Agar is a gelatinous substance derived from seaweed and used as a culture medium or food thickener, whereas agarwood is a fragrant resinous tree wood used in perfumery and incense.