any of several leguminous trees of the genus Acacia, esp A. arabica of N Africa and India, which bear small yellow flowers and are a source of gum arabic, tannin, and hardwood
Word origin
from Persian babūl; related to Sanskrit babbūla
babul in American English
(bɑˈbul; ˈbɑˌbul)
noun
any of several trees (genus Acacia) of the mimosa family, found in N Africa and parts of Asia, that furnish gum arabic, tannin, and wood for carving