GUTTA-PERCHA

[gut.ta-per.cha] n [Malay getah-percha, fr. getah sap, latex + percha scrap, rag] (1845): a tough plastic substance from the latex of several Malaysian trees (genera Payena and Palaquium) of the sapodilla family that resembles rubber but contains more resin and is used esp. as insulation and in dentistry