galingale

[ gal-in-geyl, -ing- ]

noun
  1. any sedge of the genus Cyperus, especially an Old World species, C. longus, having aromatic roots.

Origin of galingale

1
First recorded in 1275–1325, in the sense “aromatic rhizome of the genus Alpinia”; Middle English galyngal, galyngale from Middle French galingal, garingal, from Medieval Latin galinga, galanga, galingala, from Arabic khalanjān, khalunjān, khūlunjān, from Persian khūlanjān; further origin uncertain; cf. galangal

Words Nearby galingale

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British Dictionary definitions for galingale

galingale

galangal

/ (ˈɡælɪŋˌɡeɪl) /


noun
  1. a European cyperaceous plant, Cyperus longus, with rough-edged leaves, reddish spikelets of flowers, and aromatic roots

Origin of galingale

1
C13: from Old French galingal, from Arabic khalanjān, from Chinese kaoliang-chiang, from Kaoliang district in Guangdong province + chiang ginger

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