a bitter aromatic gum resin extracted from any of several Asian umbelliferous plants of the genus Ferula, esp F. galbaniflua, and used in incense and medicinally as a counterirritant
Word origin
C14: from Latin, from Greek khalbanē, from Hebrew helbenāh
galbanum in American English
(ˈgælbənəm)
noun
a bitter, bad-smelling Asiatic gum resin, obtained from various plants (genus Ferula) of the umbel family, formerly used in medicine