adjective
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sticky or tacky
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consisting of, coated with, or clogged by gum or a similar substance
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producing gum
adjective
noun
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a small crustacean-eating shark, Mustelus antarcticus, with bony ridges resembling gums in its mouth
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an old ewe that has lost its incisor teeth
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Adjectives
Etymology
Origin of gummy
Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at gum 1, -y 1
Explanation
Something that's gummy is soft and very sticky. Think of gummy bears, the candy, and you'll get the idea. Nothing is more gummy than actual gum, especially when it's been chewed and dropped on the sidewalk and then stepped on. Glue is gummy too, and once you've chewed them a little bit, so are Gummy Bears candy. Gummy comes from the noun gum, with its Greek root word, kommi, "gum" or "resin."
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:
Smith makes treats like Skittles, gummy bears and pasta festooned with marigold petals, narrating each step in a baby-soft voice while wearing dreamy fits.
From Salon ● Sep. 12, 2026
He went to bat for gummy aficionados during oral argument.
From Slate ● Jun. 18, 2026
Kids often ask me, “How did the gummy butterflies fly?” and that’s really fun to answer.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 17, 2026
But comparing soy milk and gummy bears is complicated.
From MarketWatch ● May 19, 2026
As supper was served promptly I postponed my questions and attended to a gummy fish soup and to my host and fellow guests.
From "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula K. Le Guin
Eckhart creases; smile gummier than you might expect, blinding whites under wraps.
From The Guardian ● Apr. 11, 2013
The good news is that the oil breaks down in the water, becoming gummier but less toxic, said Edward Overton, professor emeritus of environmental science at Louisiana State University.
From Reuters ● Jun. 22, 2010
Further heating turned the liquid into a pasty, gummier goo.
From Time Magazine Archive
On other issues, his view of states’ rights was gummier.
From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel
Some bacteria thrive on the blackest, gummiest oil.
From Time Magazine Archive
This is a case for your gummiest shoes.
From Bransford of Rainbow Range Originally Published under the title of Bransford in Arcadia, or, The Little Eohippus by Eugene Manlove Rhodes
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
