Meanings
plural tragacanths
- countableuncountableA polysaccharide gum, extracted from several species of leguminous plants of the genus Astragalus, formerly used medicinally and now as a food additive. Also more fully gum tragacanth.First known use 16th c.
There would have been many gums and resins in these markets for our lute-maker to bind his wood with: […] gum tragacanth from Aleppo, which would be sold as thin and wrinkled worm-like pieces of shrub.
2002, Victoria Finlay, Colour, Sceptre, published 2003, page 1981 more example
Where what I have to note is too much to be included within the narrow limits of a margin, I commit it to a slip of paper, and deposit it between the leaves; taking care to secure it by an imperceptible portion of gum tragacanth paste.
1844, E.A.Poe, MarginaliaSynonyms: E413 when used as a thickener, stabiliser and emulsifier
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA polysaccharide gum, extracted from several species of leguminous plants of the genus Astragalus, formerly used medicinally and now as a food additive. Also more fully gum tragacanth.
Origin
- Ancient Greekτρᾰ́γω (trắgō)
- Ancient Greekτράγος (trágos)
- Proto-Hellenic*akā́
- Ancient Greekἀκή (akḗ)
- Proto-Indo-European*h₂endʰ-
- Proto-Indo-European*h₂éndʰos
- Proto-Hellenic*ántʰos
- Ancient Greekἄνθος (ánthos)
- Ancient Greekἄκανθα (ákantha)
- Koine Greekτραγάκανθα (tragákantha)
- Latintragacantha
- Englishtragacanth
From Latin tragacantha, from Koine Greek τραγάκανθα (tragákantha, “tragacanth”), from Ancient Greek τράγος (trágos, “goat”) + ἄκανθα (ákantha, “thorn”). Doublet of adragant.
More words from Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Arabic كَثِيرَاء, نَكَأَة f ~ نَكَعَة
- كَثِيرَاء (kaṯīrāʔ)milkvetch gum
- نَكَأَة f ~ نَكَعَة (nakaʔa)milkvetch gum
Catalan adraganta, adragant
- adragantamilkvetch gum
- adragantmilkvetch gum
Chinese Mandarin 黃芪膠 /黄芪胶, 石燕
- 黃芪膠 /黄芪胶 (huángqíjiāo)milkvetch gum
- 石燕 (shíyàn)milkvetch gum
- 石燕干 (shíyàngān)milkvetch gum
Finnish tragantti
- traganttimilkvetch gum
German Tragant
- Tragantmilkvetch gum
Hebrew נְכֹאת
- נְכֹאת (nəḵōṯ)milkvetch gum
Malay katira, getah anggur
- katiramilkvetch gum
- getah anggurmilkvetch gum
Persian گز, کتیرا
- گز (gaz)milkvetch gum
- کتیرا (katirâ)milkvetch gum
Polish tragakanta, tragant
- tragakantamilkvetch gum
- tragantmilkvetch gum
Portuguese alcatira, tragacanta
- alcatiramilkvetch gum
- tragacantamilkvetch gum
- adragantamilkvetch gum
Spanish alquitira, tragacanta
- alquitiramilkvetch gum
- tragacantamilkvetch gum
- adragantamilkvetch gum
- adragantomilkvetch gum
Turkish kitre
- kitremilkvetch gum
Cite this entry
tragacanth. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tragacanth
“tragacanth.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tragacanth. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “tragacanth,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tragacanth.
Source: tragacanth on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.