acetic

American  

[uh-see-tik, uh-set-ik] / əˈsi tɪk, əˈsɛt ɪk /

adjective

1. pertaining to, derived from, or producing vinegar or acetic acid.

---

acetic British  

/ əˈsiːtɪk, əˈsɛt- /

adjective

1. of, containing, producing, or derived from acetic acid or vinegar

---

acetic Scientific  

/ ə-sē′tĭk /

1. Relating to or containing acetic acid or vinegar.

---

Other Word Forms

• semiacetic
  adjective
• unacetic
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of acetic

First recorded in 1800–10; acet- + -ic

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

acetic

They include companies like Chemours and Tronox, which make titanium dioxide, a pigment used in paint and wallpaper, and Celanese, which produces acetic acid, a key ingredient in many industrial products.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 5, 2026

These included potassium sorbate, potassium metabisulfite, sodium nitrite, potassium nitrate, and acetic acid.

From Science Daily ● Jan. 27, 2026

Sixty jobs will go at the Ineos Acetyls site near Hull, which makes products including acetic acid used in manufacturing.

From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2025

A low-cost, tin-based catalyst can selectively convert carbon dioxide to three widely produced chemicals -- ethanol, acetic acid and formic acid.

From Science Daily ● May 21, 2024

Instead of using something that might harm us, I mix a concoction of a surfactant, NaCl, and a chemical derivative of acetic acid—aka Dawn dish soap, salt, and vinegar.

From "The Last Cuentista" by Donna Barba Higuera