n, pl  la*ti*ces  or  la*tex*es  :  a milky usu. white fluid that is usu. made up of various gum resins, fats, or waxes and often a complex mixture of other substances frequently including poisonous compounds, is produced by cells of various seed plants (as of the milkweed, spurge, and poppy families), and is the source of rubber, gutta-percha, chicle, and balata .
 
 
 
Published under license with Merriam-Webster, Incorporated.  © 1997-2024.