galbanum nounEtymology: Middle English, from Latin, from Greek chalbanē,
of Semitic origin; akin to Hebrew ḥelbĕnāh galbanum Date:
14th century
a yellowish to green or brown aromatic bitter gum resin derived from
several Asian plants (as Ferula galbaniflua) and used in incense
Galban \Gal"ban\, Galbanum \Gal"ba*num\, n. [L. galbanum, Gr. ?,
prob. from Heb. klekb'n?h: cf. F. galbanum.]
A gum resin exuding from the stems of certain Asiatic
umbelliferous plants, mostly species of Ferula. The Bubon
Galbanum} of South Africa furnishes an inferior kind of
galbanum. It has an acrid, bitter taste, a strong, unpleasant
smell, and is used for medical purposes, also in the arts, as
in the manufacture of varnish.
GALBANUM
gal'-ba-num (chelbenah; chalbdne):
A gum-resin which occurs in small, round, semitranslucent tears or in brownish
yellow masses; has a pleasant aromatic odor and a bitter taste; and is today,
at any rate, imported from Persia.
It is derived from certain umbelliferous plants, Ferula galbaniflua and
F. rubricaulis. It is mentioned in Ex 30:34 as an ingredient of the
holy incense, and also in /APC Sirach 24:15: "a pleasant odor .... as
galbanum."
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