gum

1 of 4

noun (1)

ˈgəm 

: the tissue that surrounds the necks of teeth and covers the alveolar parts of the jaws

broadly : the alveolar portion of a jaw with its enveloping soft tissues

gum

2 of 4

verb (1)

gummed; gumming

transitive verb

1

: to enlarge gullets of (a saw)

2

: to chew with the gums

gum

3 of 4

noun (2)

1

a

: any of numerous colloidal polysaccharide substances of plant origin that are gelatinous when moist but harden on drying and are salts of complex organic acids compare mucilage sense 1

b

: any of various plant exudates (such as an oleoresin or gum resin)

2

: a substance or deposit resembling a plant gum (as in sticky or adhesive quality)

3

a

: a tree (such as a black gum) that yields gum

b

Australia : eucalyptus

4

: the wood or lumber of a gum

especially : that of the sweet gum

5

: chewing gum

gum

4 of 4

verb (2)

gummed; gumming

transitive verb

: to clog, impede, or damage with or as if with gum

gum up the works

intransitive verb

1

: to exude or form gum

2

: to become gummy

gummer noun

Synonyms

Verb (2)

• block
• choke
• clog
• clot
• congest
• dam
• jam
• obstruct
• occlude
• plug (up)
• stop (up)
• stuff

Examples of gum in a Sentence

Verb (2)

pipes gummed up with cooking grease

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Many of the bacteria that became more abundant in response to the juice and juice-plus-food diets have been identified as risk factors for inflammation, colorectal cancer, heart disease, gum inflammation (gingivitis) and gum disease (periodontitis). —Paul McClure 06, New Atlas, 6 Feb. 2025

While it’s tucked between the gum and lip, the nicotine salts dissolve and diffuse through the porous, tea-bag-like pouch, absorbing into the mouth’s mucosal lining. —Lauren J. Young, Scientific American, 24 Jan. 2025

Verb

Still, blood’s habit of coagulating, so useful in the body, proved a challenge outside of it: within a few minutes of beginning a transfusion, clots would gum up the needles and tubes, seriously limiting the quantity of blood that could be moved from person to person. —Nicola Twilley, The New Yorker, 3 Feb. 2025

Another is that ― exactly as happened here ― folks who don't like a new statute should not be allowed to gum up the enforcement of the new statute at the last second. —Jay Adkisson, Forbes, 15 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English gome, from Old English gōma palate; akin to Old High German guomo palate, and perhaps to Greek chaos abyss

Noun (2)

Middle English gomme, from Middle French, from Latin cummi, gummi, from Greek kommi, from Egyptian qmyt

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb (1)

1777, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb (2)

1597, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Phrases Containing gum

• black gum
• blue gum
• bubble gum
• by gum
• chewing gum
• guar gum
• gum arabic
• gum boot
• gum resin
• gum tragacanth
• gum tree
• gum turpentine
• gum up (something)
• gum up the works
• karaya gum
• red gum
• sour gum
• spirit gum
• sweet gum
• up a gum tree
• xanthan gum

Kids Definition

gum

1 of 3 noun

ˈgəm 

: the tissue along the jaws of animals that surrounds the necks of the teeth

gum

2 of 3 noun

1

: any of numerous complex sticky colloidal substances (as gum arabic) that are obtained from plants, harden on drying, and are either soluble in water or swell up in contact with water and that are used in preparing some drugs, for adhesives, as food thickeners, and in inks

also : any of various gummy plant substances including natural resins, rubber, and rubberlike substances

2

: a substance resembling a plant gum (as in stickiness)

3

: a tree that yields a gum

4

: chewing gum

gum

3 of 3 verb

gummed; gumming

1

: to smear, seal, or clog with or as if with gum

2

: to cause not to work properly

gum up the works

Etymology

Noun

Old English gōma "roof of the mouth, palate"

Noun

Middle English gomme "plant gum," from early French gomme (same meaning), from Latin cummi, gummi (same meaning), derived from Egyptian qmyt "plant gum"

Medical Definition

gum

1 of 3 noun

ˈgəm 

: the tissue that surrounds the necks of teeth and covers the alveolar parts of the jaws

broadly : the alveolar portion of a jaw with its enveloping soft tissues

gum

2 of 3 transitive verb

gummed; gumming

: to chew with the gums

gum

3 of 3 noun

1

: any of numerous colloidal polysaccharide substances of plant origin that are gelatinous when moist but harden on drying and are salts of complex organic acids compare mucilage

2

: any of various plant exudates (as a mucilage, oleoresin, or gum resin)