Chicle (noun)

A gum made from the sap of the sapodilla tree, used especially as a chewing gum.

Origin:

From the nahuatl word chīclli.

Examples:

1. People in the Mayan civilization chewed chicle to clean their teeth and freshen their breath.
2. The chicle tree is native to the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico and Central America.
3. Before synthetic gums became popular, chicle was the main ingredient in chewing gums.
4. The sap of the chicle tree must be harvested, processed, and then molded into the desired shape.
5. Many modern chewing gum brands still use chicle as a base for their gums.