asafetida

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)

asafetida
    n 1: the brownish gum resin of various plants; has strong taste
         and odor; formerly used as an antispasmodic [syn:
         {asafetida}, {asafoetida}]

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Asafetida \As`a*fet"i*da\, Asafoetida \As`a*f[oe]t"i*da\, n.
   [Asa + L. foetidus fetid.]
   The fetid gum resin or inspissated juice of a large
   umbelliferous plant ({Ferula asafoetida}) of Persia and the
   East Indies. It is used in medicine as an antispasmodic.
   [Written also {assafoetida}.]
   [1913 Webster]

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Ferula \Fer"u*la\, n. [L. ferula giant fennel (its stalks were
   used in punishing schoolboys), rod, whip, fr. ferire to
   strike; akin to OHG. berjan, Icel. berja. Cf. {Ferule}.]
   1. A ferule. [Obs.] --Beau. & Fl.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. The imperial scepter in the Byzantine or Eastern Empire.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. [capitalized] A genus of plants of the parsley family
      {Apiaceae} (of the order {Umbelliferae}), including some
      yielding {asafetida}. Members include {Ferula asafoetida}
      ({Ferula foetida}), the giant fennel ({Ferula communis)},
      and {Ferula orientalis}.
      [PJC]