A*ca"cia (&?;), n.;
pl. E. Acacias (&?;), L. Acaciæ
(&?;). [L. from Gr. &?;; orig. the name of a thorny tree
found in Egypt; prob. fr. the root ak to be sharp. See Acute.]
1. A genus
of leguminous trees and shrubs. Nearly 300 species are Australian or Polynesian, and have terete or vertically compressed leaf stalks, instead of the bipinnate leaves of the
much fewer species of America, Africa, etc. Very few are found
in temperate
climates.
2. (Med.) The inspissated juice of several species of acacia; -- called also gum acacia, and gum arabic.
A*ca"ci*a (&?;), n.
(Antiq.) A roll or bag, filled with dust, borne by Byzantine emperors, as a memento of
mortality. It is represented on medals.
Hear it pronounced