(n) large thorny tree of eastern and central United States having pinnately compound leaves and drooping racemes of white flowers; widely naturalized in many varieties in temperate regions, Syn. yellow locust, Robinia pseudoacacia
(n) large shrub or small tree of the eastern United States having bristly stems and large clusters of pink flowers, Syn. Robinia hispida, moss locust, rose acacia
(n) East Indian spiny tree having twice-pinnate leaves and yellow flowers followed by flat pods; source of black catechu, Syn. Acacia catechu, Jerusalem thorn
n.; pl. E. acacias L. acaciae [ L. from Gr. 'akaki`a; orig. the name of a thorny tree found in Egypt; prob. fr. the root ak to be sharp. See Acute. ] 1. [ capitalized ] 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. [ 1913 Webster ]
2. (Med.) The inspissated juice of several species of acacia; -- called also gum acacia, and gum arabic. AS [ 1913 Webster ]