Etymology: < classical Latin murra, murrha, myrrha an aromatic gum, the tree from which this gum is obtained < ancient Greek μύρρα (also σμύρνα, ζμύρνα) an aromatic gum, of uncertain etymology (see note); in Middle English probably reinforced by Anglo-Norman mire, mir, merre, murre, Anglo-Norman and Old French, Middle French mirre (late 10th cent. as mirra; French myrrhe). Compare also Portuguese mirra (12th cent.), Italian mirra (12th–13th cent.), Spanish mirra (1207), Old Occitan mirra (1265; also mira (14th cent.)), Catalan mirra (14th cent.); also Middle Dutch mirre, myrre (Dutch mirre), Old Saxon myrra (Middle Low German mirre), Old High German mirra, murra, myrra (Middle High German mirr, mirre, German Myrrhe), Old Icelandic mirra, Old Swedish mirra (Swedish myrra), Danish myrra.Ancient Greek μύρρα is probably of Semitic origin, perhaps < Akkadian murru an aromatic used in medicine, ritual, perfumery, and tanning (19th cent. b.c.), plausibly but not certainly later applied to myrrh (compare Arabic murr , Hebrew mōr , Aramaic mōrā , Syriac mūrā , all meaning ‘myrrh’) < a Semitic base meaning ‘bitter’ ( > Hebrew mar bitter: compare marah n., maror n.). It has also been proposed that the Greek word (in form σμύρνα ) is from or after the name of the town Smyrna (see Smyrna n.). In ancient etymology (in form μύρρα ) it was associated with μύρον unguent, perfume (see myronic adj.). It is likely that confusion between several Greek words (some of which may have been Indo-European in origin) affected both form and meaning. Also occasionally used erroneously to denote the myrtle: see e.g. quotations a1382¹ at myrt-tree n., a1382¹ at myrt-tree n.

Etymology: < classical Latin myrrhis myrrhis n.Pliny and Dioscorides also use classical Latin murra and Hellenistic Greek μύρρα respectively to denote this plant (compare myrrh n.¹).