guar

¹ American  

[gwahr] / gwɑr /

noun

1. a plant, Cyamopsis tetragonolobus, of the legume family, grown as a forage crop and for its seeds, which produce a gum guar gum used as a thickening agent and stabilizer in foods and pharmaceuticals and as sizing for paper and cloth.

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guar. ² American  

abbreviation

1. guaranteed.

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guar British  

/ ɡwɑː /

noun

1. a leguminous Indian plant, Cyamopsis tetragonolobus , grown as a fodder crop and for the gum obtained from its seeds

2. Also called: guar gum.  a gum obtained from the seeds of this plant, used as a stabilizer and thickening agent in food (E412) and as sizing for paper

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Etymology

Origin of guar

First recorded in 1880–85, guar is from the Hindi word guār

Example Sentences

Functional fiber — such as inulin, maltodextrin, guar gum and psyllium — have been extracted from natural sources, processed and added back to foods or supplements because they have health benefits.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 21, 2023

Of course, what I was really looking for was a portal, a vessel to return me to India, to my grandparents’ garden, with its guar plants and an old cow grazing out back.

From New York Times • Jun. 6, 2023

Another difference: Plant milk creamers may have added vegetable oils and emulsifiers, such as guar gum and carrageenan.

From Washington Post • Feb. 27, 2023

Some commercial-grade sour cream has added stabilizers, like gelatin or guar gum, to enrich its texture and consistency.

From Salon • Apr. 25, 2022

I found one such TV dinner that included thirty-one ingredients, from guar and xanthan gum to “natural grill flavor.”

From "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan