chicle

Where does the word "chicle" come from? It comes from Nahuatl tzictli, passing through Spanish before entering English (1860s).

Chicle’s story begins in Nahuatl: tzictli meant “sticky sap, chewing gum.” Named the gum chewed from the sapodilla tree's sap. By 1600s, the word had taken hold in Spanish as chicle. The Maya and Aztecs chewed it; Thomas Adams made the first chicle chewing gum in New York in 1871. It reached English by 1860s as chicle. Entered English when the gum was exported to the U.S. and became the base of early chewing gum. Today, chicle means a natural gum from the sapodilla tree, historically the base ingredient of chewing gum.

1. Stage 1 · Nahuatl · pre-1500s tzictli "sticky sap, chewing gum", named the gum chewed from the sapodilla tree's sap.
2. Stage 2 · Spanish · 1600s chicle "the natural gum of the sapodilla tree", the Maya and Aztecs chewed it; Thomas Adams made the first chicle chewing gum in New York in 1871.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1860s chicle "a natural latex used as the base for chewing gum", entered English when the gum was exported to the U.S. and became the base of early chewing gum.