gutta-percha

American  

[guht-uh-pur-chuh] / ˈgʌt əˈpɜr tʃə /

noun

1. the milky juice, nearly white when pure, of various Malaysian trees of the sapodilla family, especially Palaquium gutta.

2. the tough, rubberlike gum made from this and used as a dental cement, in the manufacture of golf balls, for insulating electric wires, etc.

---

gutta-percha British  

/ ˈɡʌtəˈpɜːtʃə /

noun

1. any of several tropical trees of the sapotaceous genera Palaquium and Payena, esp Palaquium gutta

2. a whitish rubber substance derived from the coagulated milky latex of any of these trees: used in electrical insulation and dentistry

---

Etymology

Origin of gutta-percha

1835–45; < Malay gətah (spelling getah ) tree sap + perca rag, strip of cloth; perhaps so called from the appearance of the sap ( Malay getah taban ) in its marketed form

---

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

gutta-percha

After Sanjiv was anesthetized, Sievers removed pulp from the pulp cavity inside the tooth, disinfected the area and then filled it with a rubberlike material called gutta-percha to make a watertight seal.

From Seattle Times ● Jan. 16, 2024

Then, swing coach Butch Harmon pulled out a replica of the gutta-percha golf ball from more than a century ago.

From Seattle Times ● Jul. 13, 2022

Demand for gutta-percha, an early bio-based resin used to insulate telegraph cables for the administration of the British Empire, led to widespread deforestation in Southeast Asia.

From Washington Post ● Jan. 14, 2022

Now, if Fowler really wants to impress, he'll use a balata or gutta-percha ball for his next driving exhibition.

From Golf Digest ● Jan. 13, 2017

There is, however, one branch that, in view of increasing scarcity and rising price, should be carefully looked after by the Philippine Administration; I refer to the collection of gutta-percha in Mindanao.

From The Inhabitants of the Philippines by Frederic H. Sawyer

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---