n.
Pronunciation: ' ga-l ə n- ˌ gal, -li ŋ -
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English galingale, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin galingala, galanga, from Arabic khalanj ā n, khul ū nj ā n
Date: 13th century
1 : either of two eastern Asian perennial herbs ( Alpinia galanga and A. officinarum ) of the ginger family with dark green sword-shaped leaves and pungent aromatic rhizomes
2 : the fresh, dried, or ground rhizome of a galangal used in cookery as a spice and in medicine