Advertisement

Advertisement

balata

[ buh-lah-tuh, bal-uh-tuh ]

noun

  1. a nonelastic, rubberlike, water-resistant gum that softens in hot water and is obtained from the latex of a tropical American tree, Manilkara bidentata: used chiefly in the manufacture of machinery belts, golf ball covers, and as a substitute for gutta percha. Compare bully tree.
  2. a tree, Mimusops balata, of Madagascar.


balata

/ ˈbælətə /

noun

  1. a tropical American sapotaceous tree, Manilkara bidentata , yielding a latex-like sap
  2. a rubber-like gum obtained from this sap: used as a substitute for gutta-percha
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of balata1

First recorded in 1855–60; from Latin American Spanish, from Carib; compare Galibi balata
Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of balata1

from American Spanish, of Carib origin
Discover More

Example Sentences

“And he gave them to me, and so my pockets were filled with balatas balls.”

The brothers would come to visit and rain down buckets of balatas.

And we need that balata in our hands.

When I first came on tour, we all played balata balls that spun like hell.

You probably still play with balatas, don't you?

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement


BalashikhaBalaton