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gum¹

(gŭm)

a. Any of various viscous substances that are exuded by certain plants and trees and dry into water-soluble, noncrystalline, brittle solids.

b. A similar plant exudate, such as a resin.

c. Any of various adhesives made from such exudates or other sticky substance.

2. A substance resembling the viscous substance exuded by certain plants, as in stickiness.

a. Any of various trees, especially of the genera Eucalyptus and Liquidambar, that are sources of gum. Also called gum tree.

b. The wood of such a tree; gumwood.

4. Chewing gum.

v. gummed, gum·ming, gums

v.tr.

To cover, smear, seal, fill, or fix in place with gum.

v.intr.

1. To exude or form gum.

2. To become sticky or clogged.

Phrasal Verb:

gum up

To ruin or bungle: gum up the works.

[Middle English gomme, from Old French, from Late Latin gumma, variant of Latin gummi, cummi, from Greek kommi, perhaps from Egyptian ḳmj-t.]

gum²

(gŭm)

The firm connective tissue covered by mucous membrane that envelops the alveolar arches of the jaw and surrounds the bases of the teeth. Also called gingiva.

tr.v. gummed, gum·ming, gums

To chew (food) with toothless gums.

[Middle English gome, from Old English gōma, palate, jaw.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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