noun
- A plant of the amaranth family, or the alkali obtained from its ashes, historically used in glassmaking and soap production.
Usage: historical; technical
Examples
- Barilla was a valuable commodity in medieval Europe for the manufacture of glass.
- The ashes of barilla plants were collected and processed to extract alkali.
- Glassmakers relied on barilla as a key ingredient before the development of synthetic soda ash.
- The trade in barilla connected Mediterranean regions with northern European markets.