galangal

[ guh-lang-guhl ]

noun

1. the aromatic rhizome of certain eastern Asian plants belonging to the genus Alpinia, of the ginger family, used medicinally and in Southeast Asian cuisine.

galangal

/ ɡəˈlæŋɡəl /

noun

1. another name for galingale
2. a zingiberaceous plant, Alpinia officinarum, of China and the East Indies
3. the pungent aromatic root of this plant, dried and used as a seasoning and in medicine

Word History and Origins

Origin of galangal¹

First recorded in 1500–10, in the sense “aromatic rhizome of the genus Cyperus ”; variant spelling of galingale