ASAFETIDA

[asa.fet.i.da] or asa.foe.ti.da n [ME asafetida, fr. ML asafoetida, fr. Per aza mastic + L foetida, fem. of foetidus fetid] (14c): the fetid gum resin of various oriental plants (genus Ferula) of the carrot family formerly used in medicine as an antispasmodic and in folk medicine as a general prophylactic against disease