formic acid

American  

noun

Chemistry, Pharmacology.

1. a colorless, irritating, fuming, water-soluble liquid, CH 2 O 2 , originally obtained from ants and now manufactured synthetically, used in dyeing and tanning and in medicine chiefly as a counterirritant and astringent.

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formic acid British  

noun

1. Systematic name: methanoic acid.  a colourless corrosive liquid carboxylic acid found in some insects, esp ants, and many plants: used in dyeing textiles and the manufacture of insecticides and refrigerants. Formula: HCOOH

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formic acid Scientific  

/ fôr′mĭk /

1. A colorless, caustic, fuming liquid that occurs naturally as the poison of ants and stinging nettles. It is used in making textiles and paper and in insecticides. Formic acid is the simplest organic acid, containing a carboxyl (COOH) group attached to a hydrogen atom. Chemical formula: CH ₂ O ₂ .

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Etymology

Origin of formic acid

First recorded in 1785–95

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

formic acid

As the body attempts to clear methanol - breaking it down or metabolising it in the liver - an enzyme converts it to formaldehyde and formic acid.

From BBC ● Jul. 18, 2026

One such product is formic acid, a chemical that can serve as a fuel and a way to store energy.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 11, 2026

Under these conditions, the new system continued to generate substantial amounts of formic acid, while other technologies produced very little.

From Science Daily ● Jan. 29, 2026

This metabolism creates toxic by-products called formaldehyde, formate and formic acid.

From BBC ● Nov. 22, 2024

Little by little it becomes stupefied from the discharges of formic acid the ants throw out from their bodies, and presently it succumbs to their renewed forces.

From The Animal Story Book by Various