It was the French perfumer and chemist, Rene- Maurice Gattefosse, who coined the term “aromatherapie” in 1937 with his publication of a book by that name. His book “Gattefosse’s Aromatherapy” contains early clinical findings for utilizing essential oils for various physiological ailments. It seems vital to understand Gattefosse’s intention for coining the word, as he clearly meant to distinguish the medicinal application of essential oils from their perfumery applications.

So, we can interpret his coining of the word “Aromatherapie” to mean the therapeutic application or medicinal use of aromatic substances (essential oils) for holistic healing. As the practice of aromatherapy has progressed over the years, it has adopted a more holistic approach encompassing the whole body, mind, and spirit (energy).