What does gummed mean?
Gummed describes something covered, sealed, or made sticky with gum or another adhesive. It is also commonly encountered in the expression gummed up, as in “the mechanism gummed up,” where a moving part or mechanism has become blocked by residue, dirt, or dried material. The word can function as an adjective and as an inflected form of the verb gum, as in “she gummed the envelope.” Its uses range from packaging and stationery, where gummed labels and gummed seals are practical terms, to mechanical and informal descriptions of equipment that no longer operates freely. The word is recognizable in both British and American English and carries a fairly neutral tone in its literal uses. Although less common than related forms such as sticky, glued, or jammed, gummed is useful because it connects the physical properties of gum—adhesiveness and resistance—directly to the condition of a thing that has been sealed or obstructed.
Covered, sealed, or made sticky with gum or adhesive; in gummed up, blocked or immobilized by a sticky obstruction.
"She carefully removed the gummed label from the glass jar."
The meaning “stuck or blocked” is especially common in the expression gummed up.
The third-person singular simple present and past participle of gum: to apply gum to, make sticky, or become obstructed.
"He gummed the envelope before posting it."
As a verb form, gummed may describe either the application of gum or a state of becoming obstructed, especially in the phrasal form gummed up.
A bit of sticky gum can seal a label—or bring a machine to a complete stop.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does gummed come from?
Gummed derives from gum, an English word inherited through Old French gumme from Latin gummi, which in turn came from Greek kómmi, referring to a gummy substance or plant exudate. The verb gum developed from the noun's adhesive and sticky associations, and the form gummed is its regular past-tense and participial inflection. Related forms such as gummy, gumminess, and gum arabic belong to the same lexical family.
Related word forms
How gummed is actually used
Gummed is chiefly a participial adjective, although it is also the third-person singular and past participle of gum. The expression gummed up is common in informal descriptions of machinery, mechanisms, or other things that have become blocked by a sticky residue.