folic acid
- a water-soluble vitamin that is converted to a coenzyme essential to purine and thymine biosynthesis: deficiency causes a form of anemia.
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Origin of folic acid
First recorded in 1940–45
Also called folate.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
folic acid
- any of a group of vitamins of the B complex, including pteroylglutamic acid and its derivatives: used in the treatment of megaloblastic anaemiaAlso called: folacin
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Word Origin
C20: from Latin folium leaf; so called because it may be obtained from green leaves
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
folic acid
(fō′lĭk, fŏl′ĭk)- A yellowish-orange compound of the vitamin B complex group, occurring in green plants, fresh fruit, liver, and yeast.folacin folate vitamin Bc
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The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
folic acid
[fō′lĭk, fŏl′ĭk]
- A water-soluble vitamin belonging to the vitamin B complex that is necessary for the formation of red blood cells and important in embryonic development. It is also the parent compound of coenzymes in various metabolic reactions. Folic acid is found especially in green leafy vegetables, liver, and fresh fruit. Deficiency of folic acid in the diet results in anemia. Chemical formula: C19H19N7O6.
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The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.