asafetida

One entry found for asafetida.

Main Entry: asa·fet·i·da
Variant(s): or asa·foe·ti·da /"a-s&-'fe-t&-d&, -'fE-; Southern also -'fi-t&-dE/
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English asafetida, from Medieval Latin asafoetida, from Persian azA mastic + Latin foetida, feminine of foetidus fetid
: the dried fetid gum resin of the root of several west Asian plants (genus Ferula) of the carrot family used as a flavoring especially in Indian cooking and formerly used in medicine especially as an antispasmodic and in folk medicine as a general prophylactic against disease