[1] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

asafetida \as`afet"ida\, asafoetida \as`afoet"ida\, 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
see also:
ferula asafoetida assafoetida 

[2] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

ferula \fer"ula\, 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
see also:
ferule apiaceae umbelliferae asafetida ferula asafoetida ferula foetida 
ferula communis ferula orientalis 

[3] : WordNet (r) 2.0

asafetida
     n : the brownish gum resin of various plants; has strong taste
         and odor; formerly used as an antispasmodic syn: asafoetida
see also:
asafoetida 

Asafetida >> A Words
Asafetida, definition of term: Asafetida
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