acacia

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a shrub or tree of the tribe Acacieae, often thorny and bearing clusters of small flowers

   Golden blossoms covered the acacia beside the dry riverbed.

2. 2
   noun

   the thickened or dried juice of certain acacia species, especially Vachellia nilotica, used to make gum arabic

   The pharmacist used acacia as a binding agent in the tablets.

3. 3
   noun

   a false acacia or robinia tree, especially Robinia pseudoacacia

   The tree sold locally as an acacia was actually a black locust.

From Latin acacia, from Ancient Greek ἀκακία (akakia, "shittah tree"). Its deeper origin is uncertain, though it has been connected with Greek ἀκή (ake, "point") and the Proto-Indo-European root *h₂eḱ- ("sharp"), perhaps in reference to the plant's thorns. First attested in English before 1398; a doublet of cassie.

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