Meaning & History
Over the centuries Myrrha, the girl, and myrrh, the fragrance, have been linked etymologically. The Modern English word myrrh (Old English: myrra) derives from the Latin Myrrha (or murrha or murra, all are synonymous Latin words for the tree substance). The Latin Myrrha originated from the Ancient Greek múrrā, but, ultimately, the word is of Semitic origin, with roots in the Arabic murr, the Hebrew mōr, and the Aramaic mūrā, all meaning "bitter" as well as referring to the plant. Regarding Smyrna, the word is a Greek dialectic form of Myrrha.