any of the acidic hemicelluloses that occur in ripe fruit and vegetables: used in the manufacture of jams because of their ability to solidify to a gel when heated in a sugar solution (may be referred to on food labels as E440(a))
Derived forms
pectic (ˈpectic) or pectinaceous (ˌpectiˈnaceous) or pectinous (ˈpectinous)
adjective
Word origin
C19: from Greek pēktos congealed, from pēgnuein to set