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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.
historical examples

for medicines dey give us asafiddy (asafetida), calomel, and castor oil more dan anything else for our diff’unt ailments.
slave narratives: a folk history of slavery in the united states work projects administration

mighty nigh all de chillun had a little teency bag of asafetida, on a string ’round they necks, to keep off diseases.
slave narratives vol. xiv. south carolina, part 2 works projects administration

asafetida is found in commerce in “lump” or in “tear,” the latter being the purer form.
encyclopaedia britannica, 11th edition, volume 2, slice 7 various

us used to wear garlic and asafetida ’round our neck to keep off diseases; never had many neither.
slave narratives vol. xiv. south carolina, part 2 works projects administration

den some peoples keeps a bag of asafetida tied round dey neck to keep off sickness.
slave narratives vol. xiv. south carolina, part 1 various

asafetida was used on us at all times and sage tea was considered a splendid medicine.
slave narratives: a folk history of slavery in the united states from interviews with former slaves: volume iv, georgia narratives, part 1 work projects administration

however, i do know that we wore little sacks of asafetida around our necks to keep off diseases, and the white folks wore it too.
slave narratives: a folk history of slavery in the united states from interviews with former slaves: volume iv, georgia narratives, part 1 work projects administration

likewise, in the spring of the year he frequently anointed the young of the species with a mixture of mutton suet and asafetida.
“speaking of operations–” irvin s. cobb

“pleasant and palatable as castor oil mixed with asafetida,” replied the manager with a scowl.
mixed faces roy norton

little bags of asafetida was used to hang around de little chillun’s necks to ward off fever or diptheria.
slave narratives vol. xiv. south carolina, part 1 various

n.

late 14c., from medieval latin asa (latinized from persian aza “mastic”) + foetida, fem. of foetidus “stinking” (see fetid).