: the seed of a fleawort (especially Plantago psyllium) that has the property of swelling and becoming gelatinous when moist and is used as a mild laxative
called also psyllium seed
Examples of psyllium in a Sentence
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Consuming large amounts of fiber (such as adding chia seeds or psyllium husk to your water) too quickly can cause gastrointestinal distress, Ormsby says.
—
Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 7 Apr. 2026
If getting enough dietary fiber isn’t possible, try a psyllium husk fiber supplement, Pasricha recommended.
—Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 7 Apr. 2026
Our bodies didn’t develop to digest psyllium husk and inulin.
—Catherine Ho, San Francisco Chronicle, 8 Mar. 2026
Soluble fiber—found in oats, barley, beans, lentils, chia seeds, flaxseed, apples, and psyllium—has the strongest LDL-lowering effect.
—Stephanie Anderson Witmer, Health, 23 Feb. 2026
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Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 7 Apr. 2026
If getting enough dietary fiber isn’t possible, try a psyllium husk fiber supplement, Pasricha recommended.
—Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 7 Apr. 2026
Our bodies didn’t develop to digest psyllium husk and inulin.
—Catherine Ho, San Francisco Chronicle, 8 Mar. 2026
Soluble fiber—found in oats, barley, beans, lentils, chia seeds, flaxseed, apples, and psyllium—has the strongest LDL-lowering effect.
—Stephanie Anderson Witmer, Health, 23 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for psyllium
Cite this Entry
“Psyllium.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/psyllium. Accessed 16 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
psyllium
noun
psyl·li·um
ˈsil-ē-əm 
1
: fleawort
2
: psyllium seed
also
: the husks of psyllium seed
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