balata

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: bal=a=ta

CIDE DICTIONARY

balata, n. [Sp., prob. fr. native name.].

•  A West Indian sapotaceous tree (Bumelia retusa).  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
•  The bully tree (Minusops globosa); also, its milky juice (balata gum), which when dried constitutes an elastic gum called chicle, or chicle gum.  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

balata, n.
1 any of several latex-yielding trees of Central America, esp. Manilkara bidentata.
2 the dried sap of this used as a substitute for gutta-percha.

Etymology

ult. f. Carib