1 gum arabic | Definition of gum arabic

gum arabic

noun

Definition of gum arabic

: a water-soluble gum obtained from several acacias (especially Acacia senegal) and used especially in the manufacture of inks, adhesives, pharmaceuticals, and confections

Examples of gum arabic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The country is also the world’s biggest exporter of gum arabic, a sap that’s extracted from acacia trees and used in sodas and pharmaceuticals. Mohammed Alamin And Mike Cohen | Bloomberg, Washington Post, "Why Protests Are Raging Against Sudan’s Leader," 6 Mar. 2019 And like the soft center of its confectionary cousin the gumdrop (also part of the class of candies called jellies), it is made of sugar, flavors, water and some form of thickener, such as gelatin, gum Arabic, or starch. D. Lawrence Tarazano, Smithsonian, "The Patents and Trademarks Behind Jelly Beans," 13 Apr. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'gum arabic.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of gum arabic

14th century, in the meaning defined above

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More Definitions for gum arabic

gum arabic

noun
gum ar·​a·​bic | \ -ˈar-É™-bik How to pronounce gum arabic (audio) \

Medical Definition of gum arabic

: a water-soluble gum obtained from several leguminous plants of the genus Acacia (especially A. senegal and A. arabica) and used especially in pharmacy to suspend insoluble substances in water, to prepare emulsions, and to make pills and lozenges

called also acacia, gum acacia

More from Merriam-Webster on gum arabic

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about gum arabic