Meaning

noun southeastern Asian perennial with aromatic roots

noun European sedge having rough-edged leaves and spikelets of reddish flowers and aromatic roots

originFrom Middle English galyngale, from Old French galingal, from Arabic خَلَنْجَان (ḵalanjān), from Persian قولنجان (qulenjân, qulanjân), from Sanskrit कुलञ्जन (kulañjana), perhaps from Chinese 高良薑／高良姜 (gāoliángjiāng), from 高涼 /高凉 (Gāoliáng) (a prefecture or county in China) + 薑 /姜 (jiāng, “ginger”).

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 3.0