incense
1 Americannoun
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an aromatic gum or other substance producing a sweet odor when burned, used in religious ceremonies, to enhance a mood, etc.
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the perfume or smoke arising from such a substance when burned.
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any pleasant perfume or fragrance.
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homage or adulation.
verb (used with object)
-
to perfume with incense.
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to burn incense for.
verb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
noun
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any of various aromatic substances burnt for their fragrant odour, esp in religious ceremonies
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the odour or smoke so produced
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any pleasant fragrant odour; aroma
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rare homage or adulation
verb
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to burn incense in honour of (a deity)
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(tr) to perfume or fumigate with incense
verb
Synonym Usage
See enrage.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of incense1
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English encens, incens, from Old French encens, from Late Latin incēnsum, literally, “something kindled,” neuter of incēnsus (past participle of incendere “to set on fire”); see also incendiary
Origin of incense2
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English incensen, ensensen “to fumigate, burn incense,” from Old French encenser, from Latin incēnsus; see incense 1
Explanation
Incense means both "to make angry" and a stick that burns slowly and emits a strong smell. If your new college roommate burns incense in your tiny dorm room, you might get incensed and storm out. How can a word that means a substance that is burned for its sweet odor come to mean "make very angry"? Both have to do with the idea of burning, and the Latin root incendere, "to set on fire." A stick of incense must be lit, or set on fire to release its smell. When you are incensed by something, such as your teacher slamming you with homework on the night of the prom, you feel like you are burning with anger.
Vocabulary lists containing incense
Inside Out & Back Again
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Christmas Carol Vocab: A Lyrical Lexicon
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
They pulled tiny candles from pouches and lighted them, burned incense, dropped coins in the offering box and prayed.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 6, 2026
SHANGHAI—The ancient Dragon Flower Temple these days is full of young people burning incense, chanting mantras and kneeling in front of Buddhist statues.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 23, 2026
The Guardian called the programme "the most controversial show of the year", external, and its four-star review said the documentary "will incense and offend some of its viewers", but that "Pemberton answers his questions convincingly".
From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026
Together they lit some incense and munched on muffins and chips and guacamole.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 16, 2026
Two high-school altar boys accompanied the priest, one to hold the lighted candle and the other to hold the incense burner.
From "Bless Me, Ultima" by Rudolfo Anaya
The crowd booed and Ecclestone was incensed but it would have had no impact.
From BBC ● Jul. 5, 2026
There was a catch: The doctor in question had no idea that funds were being solicited or contributed in her name — and she was incensed.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 2, 2026
He had revered the British Museum since he was a teenager and was incensed by the idea that a theft was continuing and that it was being perpetrated by a curator.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 21, 2026
So, when the officials alerted the euphoric crowd that the shot didn’t count and the Bulls had actually lost, the hometown fans were incensed.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 24, 2026
She and her team were incensed, and so was their boss.
From "The Woman All Spies Fear" by Amy Butler Greenfield
At the same time, two affordable housing projects have stalled, incensing advocates who say the government is leaving homeless people with few options other than leaving town or jail time.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 20, 2024
"The Post Office Horizon scandal is a story so incensing, outrageous and downright ugly that I found it difficult to watch," she said.
From BBC ● Jan. 2, 2024
After the new flavor became popular and sold out, however, boxes started being resold on platforms such as eBay at marked-up prices, incensing the Girl Scouts organization.
From Washington Times ● Oct. 5, 2023
Ahmad announced Cameroon would have the 2021 tournament instead, incensing officials from Ivory Coast, which had already been awarded that version.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 10, 2019
The city council hesitated, afraid of incensing the people if they complied.
From Montcalm and Wolfe by Francis Parkman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
