A*ca"cia (?), n.; pl. E.
Acacias (?), L. AcaciƦ (?).
[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.