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Glite Dictionary
tragacanth

tragacanth

9.9
A natural gum from Middle Eastern plants used to thicken medicines and dyes
  • noun
  • /ˈtræɡəˌkænθ/
  • Specialized
translation icon : tragacanto
  • The chemist added tragacanth to the mixture.
  • tragacanth gum

Examples

  • Artists frequently use tragacanth gum to create smoother textures in their paints.

  • In pharmacy, tragacanth serves as a binder for pills and lozenges.

  • The artist used tragacanth to prepare the pigments for her illuminating work.

  • Traditional textile printers relied on tragacanth as a thickener for their dyes.

  • Many tragacanths are sourced from the Middle East.

  • In pharmacy, tragacanth is often used as a thickening agent in various formulations.

  • The textile industry incorporates tragacanth for printing, using it to stabilize their inks.

Surface Forms

tragacanth singular
tragacanths plural

Etymology

The word tragacanth comes from the Greek parts tragos 'goat' and akantha 'thorn' because the sticky gum comes from thorny plants that goats were often seen near. So the name helps you remember it is a sticky plant gum used to thicken or bind medicines, paints, and dyes.