tragacanth noun. ['tragǝkanƟ] L16.
[French tragacante from Latin tragacantha from Greek tragakantha goat's-thorn, from tragos male goat + akantha thorn.]
1. In full gum tragacanth. A gum or mucilaginous mixture of polysaccharides obtained from several shrubs of the genus Astragalus (see sense 2 below) by natural exudation or incision, in the form of whitish strings or flakes partly soluble in water, and used as a vehicle for drugs, as a food additive, and in numerous industrial products. L16.
Indian tragacanth = KARAYA gum.

2. Any of several low spiny leguminous shrubs of the genus Astragalus found in western and central Asia, from which gum tragacanth is derived. rare. E17.

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