slippery elm
slippery elm Lexical Profile
• noun
The dried, powdered inner bark of the slippery elm tree, which creates a soothing gel when mixed with water and is widely used in herbal medicine to treat sore throats and digestive issues.
"Many professional singers drink tea made with slippery elm to coat and protect their vocal cords before a long performance."
North American A medium-sized deciduous tree native to eastern North America, known scientifically as Ulmus rubra, recognized by its rough, sandpaper-like leaves and medicinally valuable inner bark.
"During the botanical survey, the researchers identified a mature slippery elm growing near the limestone bluffs."
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived from the physical characteristic of the tree's inner bark, which forms a slick, mucilaginous gel when mixed with water. The word 'elm' originates from Old English 'elm', referring to trees of this genus.