/as'euh fet"i deuh/ , n. Chem.
a soft, brown, lumpy gum resin having a bitter, acrid taste and an obnoxious odor, obtained from the roots of several Near Eastern plants belonging to the genus Ferula, of the parsley family: formerly used in medicine as a carminative and antispasmodic.
Also, asafoetida, asfetida . Also called devil's dung, food of the gods .
[ 1350-1400; ME asafoetida, equiv. to asa (
aza mastic, gum) + L foetida, fem. of foetidus FETID ]