What does attar mean?
Attar is a noun denoting a fragrant essential oil, typically obtained by distilling the petals of flowers — most famously roses — and used in perfumery. The word is closely associated with the traditional perfumeries of the Middle East, Persia, and South Asia, where rose attar has been produced and prized for centuries. In modern English it appears most often in the fixed phrase 'attar of roses', though it can refer to oils drawn from other blossoms such as jasmine. Because genuine attar requires enormous quantities of petals to yield even a small amount of oil, it has long been regarded as one of the most precious of perfumed substances. Literary rather than everyday in register, the word evokes luxury, antiquity, and the sensuous world of scent, making it a favourite of poets and writers describing fragrance with an air of refinement.
nounA fragrant essential oil, especially one made from rose petals, used in perfumery.
- A fragrant essential oil distilled from flower petals, especially roses, used chiefly in perfumery.
"The apothecary's shelves held tiny vials of attar distilled from Damask roses."
"The merchant offered attar of roses, its scent lingering long after he had gone."
"In the cool of the evening, she dabbed a single drop of attar behind each ear."
Rarely pluralised; when it occurs, the plural refers to different varieties of the oil.
"The shop displayed attars of rose, jasmine, and sandalwood side by side."
It takes roughly ten thousand rose blossoms to produce just a few millilitres of true rose attar — which is why this precious oil has been worth more than gold at times.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of attar
Attar entered English in the early seventeenth century, borrowed through Urdu and Persian from Arabic ʿitr, meaning perfume or fragrance, which ultimately traces to a Persian source. Variant spellings such as 'ottar' and 'otto' appear in older English texts. The word arrived alongside the commodity itself, as European traders and travellers encountered the prized rose oils of the East.
How attar is actually used
Attar is a literary or specialised term, most often encountered in discussions of perfumery, Middle Eastern and South Asian culture, and poetry. The phrase 'attar of roses' is the most familiar fixed use. It carries connotations of luxury, tradition, and exotic fragrance.
Easily confused with attar
An 'altar' is a raised table or structure used in religious worship, while 'attar' is a fragrant essential oil; the confusion arises from their similar spellings.