folic acid

noun Biochemistry.

a water-soluble vitamin that is converted to a coenzyme essential to purine and thymine biosynthesis: deficiency causes a form of anemia.

Nearby words

foliated, foliated joint, foliation, foliature, folic, folic acid, folic acid antagonists, folie, folie de grandeur, folie du doute, folie à deux

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. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for folic acid

folic acid

/ (ˈfəʊlɪk, ˈfɒl-, ˈfəʊleɪt) /

noun

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

Derived Forms

folate, noun, adjective

Word Origin for folic acid

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

Medicine definitions for folic acid

folic acid

[ fō′lĭk, fŏl′ĭk ]

n.

A yellowish-orange compound of the vitamin B complex group, occurring in green plants, fresh fruit, liver, and yeast.folacin folate vitamin Bc

Science definitions for folic acid

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.