gum

1 of 6

noun (1)

ˈgəm 

: the tissue that surrounds the necks of teeth and covers the alveolar parts of the jaws

broadly : the alveolar portion of a jaw with its enveloping soft tissues

gum

2 of 6

verb (1)

gummed; gumming

transitive verb

1

: to enlarge gullets of (a saw)

2

: to chew with the gums

gum

3 of 6

noun (2)

1

a

: any of numerous colloidal polysaccharide substances of plant origin that are gelatinous when moist but harden on drying and are salts of complex organic acids compare mucilage sense 1

b

: any of various plant exudates (such as an oleoresin or gum resin)

2

: a substance or deposit resembling a plant gum (as in sticky or adhesive quality)

3

a

: a tree (such as a black gum) that yields gum

b

Australia : eucalyptus

4

: the wood or lumber of a gum

especially : that of the sweet gum

5

: chewing gum

gum

4 of 6

verb (2)

gummed; gumming

transitive verb

: to clog, impede, or damage with or as if with gum

gum up the works

intransitive verb

1

: to exude or form gum

2

: to become gummy

gummer noun

gummer

5 of 6

noun (3)

gum·​mer

ˈgəmə(r), 

dialectal ˈgüm-

plural -s

1

: a tool or machine for gumming a worn saw

2

: an old sheep that has lost all its teeth

gummer

6 of 6

noun (4)

gum·​mer

ˈgəmə(r)

plural -s

1

: one that applies gum or glue (as to envelopes, labels, or tape)

2

: a person that gathers gum from the trees that produce it

Synonyms of gum

Verb (2)

• stop (up)
• block
• obstruct
• plug (up)

Examples of gum in a Sentence

Verb (2)

pipes gummed up with cooking grease

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Doctors found bruising on the inside of her mouth, including on her tongue and gums. —Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 19 June 2026

Xylitol-Sweetened Foods Sugar-free gum, candies, baked goods, and drink additives may contain xylitol, an artificial sweetener that is highly toxic to dogs. —Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 15 June 2026

Verb

And give him credit for switching Anunoby onto Fox, gumming up San Antonio’s offense in the fourth quarter — especially when the Spurs never adjusted by going away from the matchup. —Joe Vardon, New York Times, 11 June 2026

Besides, the Senate, which has already been slow to confirm some appointees, is currently gummed up on other business. —David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 2 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English gome, from Old English gōma palate; akin to Old High German guomo palate, and perhaps to Greek chaos abyss

Noun (2)

Middle English gomme, from Middle French, from Latin cummi, gummi, from Greek kommi, from Egyptian qmyt

and Noun (4)

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb (1)

1777, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb (2)

1597, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Phrases Containing gum

• black gum
• blue gum
• bubble gum
• by gum
• chewing gum
• guar gum
• gum arabic
• gum boot
• gum resin
• gum tragacanth
• gum tree
• gum turpentine
• gum up (something)
• gum up the works
• karaya gum
• red gum
• sour gum
• spirit gum
• sweet gum
• up a gum tree
• xanthan gum

Rhymes for gum

• bum
• chum
• come
• crum
• cum
• drum
• dum
• dumb
• from
• frum
• glum
• hum

Kids Definition

gum

1 of 3 noun

ˈgəm 

: the tissue along the jaws of animals that surrounds the necks of the teeth

gum

2 of 3 noun

1

: any of numerous complex sticky colloidal substances (as gum arabic) that are obtained from plants, harden on drying, and are either soluble in water or swell up in contact with water and that are used in preparing some drugs, for adhesives, as food thickeners, and in inks

also : any of various gummy plant substances including natural resins, rubber, and rubberlike substances

2

: a substance resembling a plant gum (as in stickiness)

3

: a tree that yields a gum

4

: chewing gum

gum

3 of 3 verb

gummed; gumming

1

: to smear, seal, or clog with or as if with gum

2

: to cause not to work properly

gum up the works

Etymology

Noun

Old English gōma "roof of the mouth, palate"

Noun

Middle English gomme "plant gum," from early French gomme (same meaning), from Latin cummi, gummi (same meaning), derived from Egyptian qmyt "plant gum"

Medical Definition

gum

1 of 3 noun

ˈgəm 

: the tissue that surrounds the necks of teeth and covers the alveolar parts of the jaws

broadly : the alveolar portion of a jaw with its enveloping soft tissues

gum

2 of 3 transitive verb

gummed; gumming

: to chew with the gums

gum

3 of 3 noun

1

: any of numerous colloidal polysaccharide substances of plant origin that are gelatinous when moist but harden on drying and are salts of complex organic acids compare mucilage

2

: any of various plant exudates (as a mucilage, oleoresin, or gum resin)