: 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
gummed; gumming
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
gummed; gumming
: to clog, impede, or damage with or as if with gum
gum up the works
gummer noun
Examples of gum in a Sentence
Verb (2) pipes gummed up with cooking grease
Recent Examples on the Web
Joseph Buczek, CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026 After all, inflammation is a major driver of not only gum disease but also the chronic conditions listed above. —Michele Ross, SELF, 22 Apr. 2026
Adam Harrington, CBS News, 16 Apr. 2026 Anything with a carburetor, anything with old rubber, primitive rubber, ethanol can leave like a varnish behind and gum up carburetors very easily. —Kyle Cheromcha, The Drive, 1 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for gum
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Tiny white spots on the inner cheeks, gums and roof of the mouth (Koplik Spots) appear two to three days after symptoms begin. —Joseph Buczek, CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026 After all, inflammation is a major driver of not only gum disease but also the chronic conditions listed above. —Michele Ross, SELF, 22 Apr. 2026
Verb
In 2024, a CHA official said figuring out a funding formula involving historic tax credits had gummed up the next steps. —Adam Harrington, CBS News, 16 Apr. 2026 Anything with a carburetor, anything with old rubber, primitive rubber, ethanol can leave like a varnish behind and gum up carburetors very easily. —Kyle Cheromcha, The Drive, 1 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for gum
Cite this Entry
“Gum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/dictionary/gum. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
gum
1 of 3 noun
: 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
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
: 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)
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