thurification

Etymology

From Middle English, from Middle French thurification, from Late Latin thurificatio, from Latin thurificatus; equivalent to thus (“incense”) + -ification.

Why this word is great

THURIFICATION — [Noun] The act or an instance of burning incense. From Middle English, from Middle French thurification, from Late Latin thurificatio, from Latin thurificatus ("to burn incense"), from thus ("incense") + -fication ("making"). Unlike "perfuming" (which implies a casual diffusion of fragrance) or "censing" (which suggests a broader ceremonial gesture), thurification is the deliberate, almost meditative act of combustion. It is the slow curl of frankincense rising from a brass censer, the amber glow of a charcoal disc devouring myrrh, or the way a single thread of smoke can fill a cathedral nave with the weight of centuries—a fleeting bridge between the material and the divine.

noun

  1. The act, or an instance, of burning incense.“They lay [a shield and spear] on the altar, and, with the customary genuflexions and thurifications, pass off.”