asafetida

American  

[as-uh-fet-i-duh] / ˌæs əˈfɛt ɪ də /

Also asafoetida;

noun

1. a soft, brown, lumpy gum resin having a bitter, acrid taste and an obnoxious odor, obtained from the roots of several Near Eastern plants belonging to the genus Ferula, of the parsley family, used in folk medicine to prevent disease and in Indian cuisine as a flavoring, and formerly used in medicine as a carminative and antispasmodic.

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Etymology

Origin of asafetida

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Medieval Latin asafoetida, equivalent to asa (from Persian āzā “mastic, gum”) + Latin foetida, feminine of foetidus; see origin at fetid

Example Sentences

IN THE “HEDYPATHEIA,” Archestratos mentions silphium, a wild herb believed to be akin to asafetida and since lost to history.

From New York Times • Feb. 18, 2022

Thornton showed them how to blend whole spices, grind coriander seed and asafetida.

From Los Angeles Times • May 30, 2019

Where to buy: Fresh curry leaves, asafetida, red chiles and red chile powder are available at Indian grocery stores.

From Washington Post • May 13, 2019

On the spice aisle, she buys bags of dried bay leaves, bright yellow turmeric, jet black mustard seeds and hing, or asafetida, the pungent spice that gives certain Indian dishes their signature zing.

From Washington Post • Jan. 24, 2019

If one of her chickens got the snuffles one day, rubbing asafetida in butter on their nostrils would set them straight.

From "The Underground Railroad: A Novel" by Colson Whitehead