Standard Lemma guide

tragacanth

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A 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.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

a gum used in pharmacy, adhesives, and textile printing

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: gum

History

Etymology

From Latin tragacantha, from Koine Greek τραγάκανθα (tragákantha, “tragacanth”), from Ancient Greek τράγος (trágos, “he-goat”) + ἄκανθα (ákantha, “thorn”). Doublet of adragant.

Across languages

Translations

25 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: كَثِيرَاء (kaṯīrāʔ) — milkvetch gum
  • Arabic: نَكَأَة f ~ نَكَعَة (nakaʔa) — milkvetch gum
  • Aramaic: ܐܢܩܬ ܐܝܠܐ (ʾanqaṯ ʾaylā) — milkvetch gum
  • Catalan: adraganta — milkvetch gum
  • Catalan: adragant — milkvetch gum
  • Chinese Mandarin: 黃芪膠 /黄芪胶 (huángqíjiāo) — milkvetch gum
  • Chinese Mandarin: 石燕 (shíyàn) — milkvetch gum
  • Chinese Mandarin: 石燕干 (shíyàngān) — milkvetch gum
  • Finnish: tragantti — milkvetch gum
  • German: Tragant — milkvetch gum
  • Hebrew: נְכֹאת (nəḵōṯ) — milkvetch gum
  • Malay: katira — milkvetch gum
  • Malay: getah anggur — milkvetch gum
  • Persian: گز (gaz) — milkvetch gum
  • Persian: کتیرا (katirâ) — milkvetch gum
  • Polish: tragakanta — milkvetch gum
  • Polish: tragant — milkvetch gum
  • Portuguese: alcatira — milkvetch gum
  • Portuguese: tragacanta — milkvetch gum
  • Portuguese: adraganta — milkvetch gum
  • Spanish: alquitira — milkvetch gum
  • Spanish: tragacanta — milkvetch gum
  • Spanish: adraganta — milkvetch gum
  • Spanish: adraganto — milkvetch gum
  • Turkish: kitre — milkvetch gum