babul

American

[buh-bool, bah-bool] / bəˈbul, ˈbɑ bul /

noun

any of several leguminous trees of the genus Acacia that yield a gum, especially A. nilotica, of tropical Africa.
the gum, pods, or bark of such a tree.

babul British

/ ˈbɑːbuːl, bɑːˈbuːl /

noun

any of several leguminous trees of the genus Acacia , esp A. arabica of N Africa and India, which bear small yellow flowers and are a source of gum arabic, tannin, and hardwood

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of babul

1815–25; < Hindi babūl < Persian

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

babul

An African bullfrog lunges for a babul butterfly but misses.

From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026

Unkempt, unclean, athwart the mist The seething city looms, In place of Putney's golden gorse The sickly babul blooms.

From The Works of Rudyard Kipling One Volume Edition by Rudyard Kipling

Unkempt, unclean, athwart the mist The seething city looms, In place of Putney's golden gorse The sickly babul blooms.

From Departmental Ditties and Barrack Room Ballads by Rudyard Kipling

The bark of Acacia arabica, under the name of babul or babool, is used in Scinde for tanning.

From The Project Gutenberg Encyclopedia Volume 1 of 28 by Project Gutenberg

Two thorn bushes grew on either side of the door, like babul bushes, covered with a golden coloured bloom, and the roof was all of thatch.

From Traffics and Discoveries by Rudyard Kipling

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023