a strong-smelling gum resin obtained from the stems of the N Asian umbelliferous plant Dorema ammoniacum and formerly used as an expectorant, stimulant, perfume, and in porcelain cement
Also called: gum ammoniac
Word origin
C14: from Latin ammōniacum, from Greek ammōniakos belonging to Ammon (apparently the gum resin was extracted from plants found in Libyanear the temple of Ammon)
ammoniac in American English
(əˈmoʊniˌæk)
noun
a pungent gum resin obtained from the stems of certain plants (esp. Dorema ammoniacum) of the umbel family, found in Iran, S Siberia, and N India: used in perfumes, porcelain cements, and formerly in medicine
Word origin
ME ammoniak < ML armoniac < L ammoniacum < Gr ammōniakon, gum resin: orig., prob. from its occurrence in plants growing near the temple ofJupiter Ammon1 in Egypt
Examples of 'ammoniac' in a sentence
ammoniac
`Sure, madam, it smells worse than hartshorn or sal ammoniac.
Fidelis Morgan THE RIVAL QUEENS: A COUNTESS ASHBY DE LA ZOUCHE MYSTERY (2002)
The place is stifling with the heavy ammoniac smell of chickens.