Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Tragacanth
Trag′a-canth
,Noun.
[L.
tragacanthum
tragacanth, tragacantha
the plant producing tragacanth, Gr. [GREEK] [GREEK] a he-goat + [GREEK] a thorn: cf. F. tragacanthe
.] A kind of gum procured from a spiny leguminous shrub (
Astragalus gummifer
) of Western Asia, and other species of Astragalus. It comes in hard whitish or yellowish flakes or filaments, and is nearly insoluble in water, but slowly swells into a mucilaginous mass, which is used as a substitute for gum arabic in medicine and the arts. Called also gum tragacanth
. Webster 1828 Edition
Tragacanth
TRAG'ACANTH
,Noun.
1.
Goat's thorn; a plant of the genus Astragalus, of several species, growing in Syria, Candia, &c. almost all of which were included by Linne in the tragacanthas, and all of which produce the gum tragacanth.2.
A gum obtained from the goat's thorn. It comes in small contorted pieces resembling worms. It is of different colors; that which is white, clear, smooth and vermicular, is the best. It is somewhat soft to the touch, but only imperfectly soluble. It is softening, and used in coughs and catarrhs.