fatty acid
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Related to Fatty-acid: saturated fatty acid, Omega 3 fatty acid
fatty acid
1. any of a class of aliphatic carboxylic acids, such as palmitic acid, stearic acid, and oleic acid, that form part of a lipid molecule
2. another name for carboxylic acid esp a naturally occurring one
Collins Discovery Encyclopedia, 1st edition © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
fatty acid
[¦fad·ē ′as·əd] (organic chemistry)
An organic monobasic acid of the general formula Cn H2 n + 1COOH derived from the saturated series of aliphatic hydrocarbons; examples are palmitic acid, stearic acid, and oleic acid; used as a lubricant in cosmetics and nutrition, and for soaps and detergents.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific & Technical Terms, 6E, Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.