gum arabic
noun
a water-soluble, gummy exudate obtained from the acacia tree, especially Acacia senegal, used as an emulsifier, an adhesive, in inks, and in pharmaceuticals.
Also called
acacia,
gum acacia.
Origin of gum arabic
Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400
Words nearby gum arabic
gulp,
gulper eel,
gum,
gum accroides,
gum ammoniac,
gum arabic,
gum band,
gum benzoin,
gum bichromate process,
gum dammar,
gum digger
Example sentences from the Web for gum arabic
British Dictionary definitions for gum arabic
gum arabic
noun
a gum exuded by certain acacia trees, esp Acacia senegal: used in the manufacture of ink, food thickeners, pills, emulsifiers, etc
Also called: acacia, gum acacia
Scientific definitions for gum arabic
gum arabic
A gum exuded by various African trees of the genus Acacia, especially A. senegal. Gum arabic is used in the preparation of pills and emulsions, in the manufacture of adhesives and candies, and as a thickener and stabilizer of colloids. Gum arabic consists mostly of a mixture of oligosaccharides and heavy glycoproteins.