gum arabic

American  

noun

1. a water-soluble, gummy exudate obtained from the acacia tree, especially Acacia senegal, used as an emulsifier, an adhesive, in inks, and in pharmaceuticals.

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gum arabic British  

noun

1. Also called: acacia.   gum acacia.  a gum exuded by certain acacia trees, esp Acacia senegal: used in the manufacture of ink, food thickeners, pills, emulsifiers, etc

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gum arabic Scientific  

1. 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.

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Etymology

Origin of gum arabic

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400

Example Sentences

The residues are sorted, ground and mixed with a maceration of gum arabic to facilitate ignition, and with clay to slow combustion.

From Barron's • Apr. 24, 2026

Color stabilizers like gum arabic and acetaldehyde are often used in red wine to preserve color.

From National Geographic • Jul. 20, 2023

Bear Naked chewy peanut butter and honey granola bites, also made by Kellogg, list acacia gum, another name for gum arabic, in their ingredients lists.

From Reuters • May 4, 2023

In the earliest cocktail books, which date back to the late 1800s, you'll often find gomme syrup — a simple syrup that has gum arabic added to it.

From Salon • Aug. 21, 2022

A carbohydrate, isomeric with cane sugar, contained in gum arabic, from which it is extracted as a white, amorphous substance.

From Webster's Unabridged Dictionary by Webster, Noah