palo santo

[ pal-oh san-toh ]

noun

1. a South American tree, Bulnesia sarmienti, of the caltrop family, yielding a fragrant essential oil.
2. a tropical American tree, Triplaris americana, of the buckwheat family, having large leaves and showy red female flowers.

Word History and Origins

Origin of palo santo¹

From Latin American Spanish: literally, “holy wood”