karaya gum

[ kuh-rahy-uh ]

noun

1. the dried exudate of an Asian tree, Sterculia urens, used for finishing textiles and as a thickening agent in cosmetics and foodstuffs.

Word History and Origins

Origin of karaya gum¹

First recorded in 1890–95, karaya gum is from the Hindi word karāl, karāyal “resin”