acacia

noun

aca·cia ə-ˈkā-shə

[Middle English acacia, acacie "astringent gum made from the juice of green plums or sloes," borrowed from Anglo-French & Medieval Latin; Anglo-French acasie, acacie "juice of plums or sloes," borrowed from Medieval Latin acacia, going back to Latin "gum arabic"] : gum arabic

: any of a large genus (Acacia) of leguminous shrubs and trees of warm regions with leaves pinnate or reduced to phyllodes and white or yellow flower clusters

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web The Acacia Prebiotic Fiber exudes from the acacia trees' stem and branches, is then dried and purified, and finally instantized. —

Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 4 Nov. 2022 Between a set of matte gold flatware and subtle gold handles on an acacia serving tray, this line proves that gold works as well as silver in any dining setting. —

Lauren Phillips, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Nov. 2022 Score this sleek acacia serving tray, which also comes with a bowl for limes and frosted salt shaker, to keep the rounds coming. —

Vanessa Powell, ELLE, 17 Dec. 2022 Hadza camps, small collections of grass houses tucked among the acacia trees, are alive all day with kids being kids, running around, laughing, playing—and waiting for adults to bring them food. —

Herman Pontzer, Scientific American, 12 Dec. 2022 Stimulating active ingredients such as lindera extract and Persian acacia boost cellular longevity to replenish the look of skin. —

Sophie Dweck, Town & Country, 16 Nov. 2022 And then a month later Singh went to visit Vo’s farm and saw that the road to the property was lined with blooming acacia trees. —

Gisela Williams, New York Times, 10 Nov. 2022 The acacia wood is heavy duty, and sturdy, and will last for years. —

Lauren Taylor, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Nov. 2022 The subtle notes of smokiness and musk give the sensation of a warm embrace by an acacia-wood fire. —

Grooming Playbook, The Salt Lake Tribune, 4 Nov. 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'acacia.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin, going back to Latin, "a species of Acacia, gum arabic," borrowed from Greek akakía "a plant of the Acacia genus (probably A. nilotica), acacia extract" of obscure origin

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of acacia was in the 14th century

See more words from the same century