gum arabic
noun
: a water-soluble gum obtained from several acacias (especially Senegalia senegal synonym Acacia senegal) and used especially in the manufacture of inks, adhesives, pharmaceuticals, and confections
Examples of gum arabic in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
By the 1920s, Flappers were using gum arabic to gel down kiss curls.
—
India Espy-Jones, Essence, 6 May 2025
European demand for gum arabic in the eighteenth century surged to support a growing textile market.
—Erik Zou, JSTOR Daily, 25 Apr. 2025
That usually consists of starch, food coloring, and stabilizers and preservatives (look for words like maltodextrin, dextrose, and gum arabic).
—Karen Yuan, Bon Appétit, 2 Dec. 2024
Rafael Martin/Europa Press/Abaca/Sipa USA/AP Their team mixed lavender oil into a warm solution of fibroin, a flexible protein made by silkworms, and gum arabic, a substance from acacia trees that helps stabilize materials.
—Erika Page, The Christian Science Monitor, 4 Nov. 2024
Though Darfur and other non-urban parts of Sudan continue to be underserved and exploited for natural resources like gold and gum arabic, the RSF isn’t confronting an uprising there.
—Ellen Ioanes, Vox, 22 Apr. 2024
Another popular theory has to do with the varnish: namely, that Stradivari used an ingenious cocktail of honey, egg whites, and gum arabic from sub-Saharan trees—or perhaps salts or other chemicals.
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 3 Nov. 2022
Gum syrup is a simple syrup combined with gum arabic, a powder derived from the Acacia tree which gives a silky body to cocktails.
—Jason O'Bryan, Robb Report, 8 Apr. 2021
After the mid-1800s, marshmallow manufactures replaced the sap ingredient with corn syrup or sugar, gelatin, gum arabic and other flavorings.
—Devon Link, USA TODAY, 7 Apr. 2021
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India Espy-Jones, Essence, 6 May 2025
European demand for gum arabic in the eighteenth century surged to support a growing textile market.
—Erik Zou, JSTOR Daily, 25 Apr. 2025
That usually consists of starch, food coloring, and stabilizers and preservatives (look for words like maltodextrin, dextrose, and gum arabic).
—Karen Yuan, Bon Appétit, 2 Dec. 2024
Rafael Martin/Europa Press/Abaca/Sipa USA/AP Their team mixed lavender oil into a warm solution of fibroin, a flexible protein made by silkworms, and gum arabic, a substance from acacia trees that helps stabilize materials.
—Erika Page, The Christian Science Monitor, 4 Nov. 2024
Though Darfur and other non-urban parts of Sudan continue to be underserved and exploited for natural resources like gold and gum arabic, the RSF isn’t confronting an uprising there.
—Ellen Ioanes, Vox, 22 Apr. 2024
Another popular theory has to do with the varnish: namely, that Stradivari used an ingenious cocktail of honey, egg whites, and gum arabic from sub-Saharan trees—or perhaps salts or other chemicals.
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 3 Nov. 2022
Gum syrup is a simple syrup combined with gum arabic, a powder derived from the Acacia tree which gives a silky body to cocktails.
—Jason O'Bryan, Robb Report, 8 Apr. 2021
After the mid-1800s, marshmallow manufactures replaced the sap ingredient with corn syrup or sugar, gelatin, gum arabic and other flavorings.
—Devon Link, USA TODAY, 7 Apr. 2021
Cite this Entry
“Gum arabic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gum%20arabic. Accessed 16 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
gum arabic
noun
gum ar·a·bic
-ˈar-ə-bik 
: a water-soluble gum obtained from several leguminous plants of the genus Acacia (especially A. senegal and A. arabica) and used especially in pharmacy to suspend insoluble substances in water, to prepare emulsions, and to make pills and lozenges
called also acacia, gum acacia
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