Origin: Germanic Old English prefix
Benjamin has 6 different meanings across 2 categories:
gum resin used especially in treating skin irritation
"The nurse applied benjamin to soothe the child's irritated sunburned skin."
(Old Testament) the youngest and best-loved son of Jacob and Rachel and one of the twelve forebears of the tribes of Israel
"As the youngest and most beloved son of Jacob, Benjamin became one of the twelve patriarchs who established the tribes of Israel."
A balsamic resin from the bark of Styrax trees used in perfumes, incense, and medicine; benzoin resin.
"The thief ran away with thousands of benjamins from the safe deposit box."
Alternative form of Benjamin: a US $100 bill.
A US$100 bill, which bears a portrait of Benjamin Franklin. Often used in the plural form to indicate large sums of money.
In plain English: Benjamin is an old-fashioned name for a young man, often used to refer to someone's youngest son.
"Benjamin was born on the fourth day, so he is known in our family simply by his name rather than his birth order number."
Usage: Benjamin is an archaic term for benzoin resin that rarely appears in modern everyday language. You will almost never encounter this word outside of historical texts or specialized discussions about traditional perfume ingredients.
The youngest of the sons of Jacob and Rachel in the Bible.
"Benjamin was the youngest son born to Jacob and Rachel according to biblical tradition."
The word benjamin originated from benzoin but was altered through folk etymology so that it would sound like the biblical name Benjamin. This change allowed people to associate the term with a familiar personal name rather than its original source related to tree resin.