a gummy substance derived from various low, spiny, Asian shrubs belonging to the genus Astragalus, of the legume family, esp. A. gummifer: used to impart firmness to pills and lozenges, stiffen calicoes, etc.
Main Entry: gum tragacanth Function: noun :TRAGACANTH
Main Entry: trag·a·canth Pronunciation: 'traj-&-"kan(t)th, 'trag-, -k&n(t)th; also 'trag-&-"san(t)th Function: noun : a gumobtained 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 thickeningagent and as a demulcent called also gum tragacanth,hog gum
[trag-uh-kanth, traj-] 
