tragacanth

American  

[trag-uh-kanth, traj-] / ˈtræg əˌkænθ, ˈtrædʒ- /

noun

1. a gummy substance derived from various low, spiny, Asian shrubs belonging to the genus Astragalus, of the legume family, especially A. gummifer: used to impart firmness to pills and lozenges, stiffen calicoes, etc.

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tragacanth British  

/ ˈtræɡəˌkænθ /

noun

1. any of various spiny leguminous plants of the genus Astragalus , esp A. gummifer , of Asia, having clusters of white, yellow, or purple flowers, and yielding a substance that is made into a gum

2. the gum obtained from any of these plants, used in the manufacture of pills and lozenges, etc

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Etymology

Origin of tragacanth

1565–75; < Latin tragacantha goat's thorn < Greek tragákantha, equivalent to trág ( os ) goat + ákantha thorn. Cf. tragedy, acantho-

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

tragacanth

They mixed blood plasma with a little sulfanilamide and some gum tragacanth to make a paste, used it on twelve second-degree burns.

From Time Magazine Archive

In such cases a little spirits of camphor mixed with the gum tragacanth is best.

From Directions for Collecting and Preserving Insects by Riley, C. V.

The majority of plant specimens are most suitably fastened on paper by a mixture of equal parts of gum tragacanth and gum arabic made into a thick paste with water.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 13, Slice 3 "Helmont, Jean" to "Hernosand" by Various

Under the name of Caramania gum it is mixed with inferior kinds of gum tragacanth before exportation.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 12, Slice 6 "Groups, Theory of" to "Gwyniad" by Various

Acacia, tragacanth, bassorin and plasment applications are used in cases of a subacute and chronic character.

From Essentials of Diseases of the Skin Including the Syphilodermata Arranged in the Form of Questions and Answers Prepared Especially for Students of Medicine by Stelwagon, Henry Weightman