asafoetida
/ˌasəˈfiːtɪdə
/ /ˌasəˈfɛtɪdə/(US asafetida)
noun
1 [mass noun] A fetid resinous gum obtained from the roots of a herbaceous plant, used in herbal medicine and Indian cooking.A variety of flavoured saunf (fennel seeds), fruity breath-fresheners and indigenous Indian spices like asafoetida and amchur come at Rs.40 for a 100 gm packet....
- Apparently, he doesn't like using garlic in his food… so he uses this spice called asafetida, which is really stinky and looked like Chinese medicine powder to me.
- No plant now known from Libya or N. Africa produces a resin that resembles asafoetida.
2A Eurasian plant of the parsley family, from which asafoetida gum is obtained.
- Ferula assa-foetida, family Umbelliferae.
Origin
Late Middle English: from medieval Latin, from asa (from Persian azā 'mastic') + foetida (see fetid).