pomander
/pəˈmandə
/ /ˈpɒməndə /noun
1A ball or perforated container of aromatic substances, placed in a cupboard or room to perfume the air or (formerly) carried as a supposed protection against infection.The younger bridesmaids wore pale lilac shimmer satin dresses with cream embroidered bodices, and carried pomanders of lilac and cream flowers....
- The pomander - a small perforated container filled with spices and herbs and worn on the body - was meant to provide a continuous fragrant shield against disease.
- My younger sister put it better after arriving back from school at Christmas, clutching a pomander that she's made herself.
1.1A piece of fruit, typically an orange, studded with cloves and hung in a wardrobe to perfume it.Blue Peter recommends sticking them into oranges to form a pomander, an archaic device to keep linen clothes fresh and sweet-smelling....
- Ladies first had small sack handbags that contained pomanders (scented oranges).
- To tie everything together, choose flowers in colors that coordinate with your other decorations - here, the apricot-colored rose echoes a dried orange pomander set in a pot with a tiny evergreen tree.
Origin
Late 15th century: from Old French pome d'embre, from medieval Latin pomum de ambra 'apple of ambergris'.