tragacanth

noun

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trag·a·canth | \ ˈtra-jə-ˌkan(t)th

, ˈtra-gə-, -kən(t)th

; also ˈtra-gə-ˌsan(t)th \

Definition of tragacanth

: a gum obtained from various Asian or eastern European plants (genus Astragalus and especially A. gummifer) of the legume family that swells in water and is used chiefly as an emulsifying, suspending, or thickening agent

Examples of tragacanth in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web All were molded out of a powdered sugar paste likely made with rose and orange blossom water and tragacanth, a resin from a plant indigenous to the Middle East and Asia: the yields of trade and Western expansion. — New York Times, 11 Aug. 2021

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

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“Tragacanth.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tragacanth. Accessed 23 Jan. 2022.

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More Definitions for tragacanth

tragacanth

noun

trag·a·canth | \ ˈtraj-ə-ˌkan(t)th, ˈtrag-, -kən(t)th; also ˈtrag-ə-ˌsan(t)th \

Medical Definition of tragacanth

: a gum obtained from various Asian or East European leguminous plants (genus Astragalus and especially A. gummifer) that swells in water and is used as an emulsifying, suspending, and thickening agent and as a demulcent

— called also gum tragacanth, hog gum