acetic acid

American  

noun

Chemistry.

1. a colorless, pungent, water-miscible liquid, C 2 H 4 O 2 , the essential constituent of vinegar, produced by oxidation of acetaldehyde, bacterial action on ethyl alcohol, the reaction of methyl alcohol with carbon monoxide, and other processes: used chiefly in the manufacture of acetate fibers and in the production of numerous esters that are solvents and flavoring agents.

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acetic acid British  

noun

1. Systematic name: ethanoic acid. a colourless pungent liquid, miscible with water, widely used in the manufacture of acetic anhydride, vinyl acetate, plastics, pharmaceuticals, dyes, etc. Formula: CH 3 COOH See also glacial acetic acid vinegar

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acetic acid Scientific  

1. A clear, colorless organic acid having a distinctive pungent odor. It is used as a solvent and in the manufacture of rubber, plastics, acetate fibers, pharmaceuticals, and photographic chemicals. Acetic acid is the chief acid of vinegar. Chemical formula: C ₂ H ₄ O ₂ .

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Etymology

Origin of acetic acid

First recorded in 1800–10

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Compare meaning

How does acetic-acid compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• glacial acetic acid vs. acetic acid

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

acetic acid

One plant makes acetic acid, which is used in vinegar, paint and glue.

From BBC ● Sep. 22, 2026

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

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

The fluorene is separated from this by placing it in a freezing mixture, and is then redistilled or crystallized from glacial acetic acid, or purified by means of its picrate.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 10, Slice 5 "Fleury, Claude" to "Foraker" by Various

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