عنبر

عَنْبَرٌ ذ [ Ambergris; ] a certain odoriferous substance, (S, O, Msb, K,) well known; (O, Msb;) an excrement found in the belly of a certain great fish, [ the spermaceti-whale, ] which is called by the same name; (Towsheeh, TA;) or an excrement of a certain marine beast; (K;) or, accord. to Ks, a vegetable [ substance found ] in the bottom of the sea and driven by the waves to the shores thereof, whence it is taken; (O;) or, (O, K,) as the physicians say, (O,) it issues from a source in the sea; (O, * K;) [and there are other opinions respecting its origin, mentioned in the TA; but these I do not add, as it is well known to be an excrement of the spermaceti-whale;] the best kind is the white, and the whitish; next, the blue [or gray ]; and the worst, the black: (TA:) the word is masc. and fem., (AA, IAmb, O, Msb,) like مِسْكٌ: (IAmb, TA voce ذَكِىٌّ:) MF says that most hold the ن to be augmentative, the measure being فَنْعَلٌ, as it is said to be in the Msb. (TA.) ― -b2- [As mentioned above, it signifies also The spermaceti-whale; ] a certain great fish; (Msb in art. عبر;) a certain marine fish, (Az, O, K,) the length of which reaches to fifty cubits, called in Pers. Pاله [app. a mistranscription for وَالْ: see بَالٌ]: (Az, TA:) shields are made of its skin; (Mgh, O, TA;) and the people of Juddeh have sandals, or shoes, made thereof. (O, TA.) ― -b3- And hence, (O,) A shield (S, O, K) made of the skin of the fish above-mentioned: (O, K:) and some say, coats of defence (دُرُوع). (O.) -A2- Also Saffron. (K.) ― -b2- And (as some say, TA) [The plant called ] وَرْس. (K.) ― -b3- [Accord. to Forskål (Flora Aegypt. Arab. p. lxiv.) now applied to Gomphrena globosa. ] -A3- See also the next paragraph, in two places.