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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.

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

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 Formsfolate, 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
folic acid in Medicine

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
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
folic acid in Science

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.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.