1. a bright yellow resinous substance obtained from a tropical Asian tree, used as a pigment and formerly as a laxative
Usage: also called gambier or gum gutti; the tree is native to Southeast Asia, particularly Cambodia and Thailand
2. a bright yellow color resembling the pigment gamboge
Usage: used in art and design contexts

Examples

• The artist mixed gamboge with other pigments to create a warm, earthy tone.
• Gamboge was historically used in traditional medicine as a purgative.
• The fabric was dyed a rich gamboge yellow.
• Medieval manuscripts sometimes featured illuminations in gamboge and gold leaf.
• The resin from the gamboge tree has been traded for centuries along Asian spice routes.