galangal

noun

gal·​an·​gal ˈga-lən-ˌgal How to pronounce galangal (audio)
-liŋ-, 
gə-ˈlaŋ-gəl How to pronounce galangal (audio)
1
: either of two eastern Asian perennial herbs (Alpinia galanga and A. officinarum) of the ginger family with dark green sword-shaped leaves and pungent aromatic rhizomes
2
: the fresh, dried, or ground rhizome of a galangal used in cookery as a spice and in medicine

Examples of galangal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The floral notes of lemongrass, the earthy galangal, freshness of kaffir lime leaves and the heat of the chilies. — Zoe Li, CNN, 2 May 2023 Its aromas — of galangal, ginger and shallot — bloom further in the roasting. — Soleil Ho, SFChronicle.com, 14 Nov. 2019 Powder galangal also usually lasts longer than fresh galangal. — Lindsey Desoto, Health, 31 July 2024 The all-beef patties are inspired by sai oua, a classic spicy Lao sausage containing lemongrass, ginger-like galangal and fish sauce. — Jared Kaufman, Twin Cities, 22 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for galangal

Word History

Etymology

Middle English galingale, borrowed from Anglo-French, borrowed from Medieval Latin galingala, galanga, borrowed (by uncertain mediation) from Arabic khalanjān, khūlanjān, khaulanjān, borrowed from Persian khāvalinjān, of obscure origin

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of galangal was in the 13th century

Rhymes for galangal

See All Rhymes for galangal

Browse Nearby Words

galanga
galangal
galangin
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Galangal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/galangal. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Medical Definition

galangal

noun
gal·​an·​gal gə-ˈlaŋ-gəl How to pronounce galangal (audio)
1
: either of two eastern Asian perennial herbs (Alpinia galanga and A. officinarum) of the ginger family with dark green sword-shaped leaves and pungent aromatic rhizomes
2
: the fresh, dried, or ground rhizome of a galangal used in cookery as a spice and sometimes medicinally

called also galangal root

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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