Main Entry: asa·fet·i·da

Variant(s): or asa·foe·ti·da \ˌa-sə-ˈfe-tə-də, -ˈfē-; Southern also -ˈfi-tə-dē\

Function: noun

Etymology: Middle English asafetida, from Medieval Latin asafoetida, from Persian azā mastic + Latin foetida, feminine of foetidus fetid

Date: 14th century

: the dried fetid gum resin of the root of several west Asian plants (genus Ferula) of the carrot family used as a flavoring especially in Indian cooking and formerly used in medicine especially as an antispasmodic and in folk medicine as a general prophylactic against disease