An archaic or dialectal term for ambergris or a similar fragrant substance, or possibly a variant of 'amber.'
Middle English awber, possibly from Old French ambre or a variant of 'amber' with dialectal pronunciation shifts. The word's exact origin is uncertain but likely relates to aromatic trade goods.
Medieval merchants treasured ambergris more than gold, and this forgotten word reminds us that what seemed exotic and priceless to our ancestors sometimes disappears entirely from our language.
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