guaiacum
Syllabification: (guai·a·cum)
Pronunciation: /ˈgwīəkəm/
Definition of guaiacum
noun
- an evergreen tree of the Caribbean and tropical America, formerly important for its hard, heavy, oily timber but now scarce. Also called lignum vitae.
- Guaiacum officinale and G. sanctum, family Zygophyllaceae
- another term for guaiac.
Origin:
mid 16th century: modern Latin, via Spanish from Taino guayacan