guar

¹ American  

[gwahr] / gwɑr /

noun

1. a plant, Cyamopsis tetragonolobus, of the legume family, grown as a forage crop and for its seeds, which produce a gum guar gum used as a thickening agent and stabilizer in foods and pharmaceuticals and as sizing for paper and cloth.

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guar. ² American  

abbreviation

1. guaranteed.

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guar British  

/ ɡwɑː /

noun

1. a leguminous Indian plant, Cyamopsis tetragonolobus , grown as a fodder crop and for the gum obtained from its seeds

2. Also called: guar gum.  a gum obtained from the seeds of this plant, used as a stabilizer and thickening agent in food (E412) and as sizing for paper

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Etymology

Origin of guar

First recorded in 1880–85, guar is from the Hindi word guār

Example Sentences

Functional fiber — such as inulin, maltodextrin, guar gum and psyllium — have been extracted from natural sources, processed and added back to foods or supplements because they have health benefits.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 21, 2023

“It’s not just the salt and sugar, which are the obvious ones, but the artificial sweeteners, artificial colors, emulsifiers, stabilizers, guar gum and xanthan gum,” he said.

From Washington Post • Sep. 27, 2022

Some commercial-grade sour cream has added stabilizers, like gelatin or guar gum, to enrich its texture and consistency.

From Salon • Apr. 25, 2022

Singh grows a traditional variety of cotton, along with guar, vegetables and fodder for his livestock.

From New York Times • Jul. 30, 2013

I found one such TV dinner that included thirty-one ingredients, from guar and xanthan gum to “natural grill flavor.”

From "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan