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

They open the infected pupa's cocoon, create small cuts in its outer surface, and apply formic acid, a natural antimicrobial compound produced by the workers themselves.

From Science Daily

To do this, they started with a genetically engineered "sick" cell, one that could only survive if it produced both the desired pigment, along with a second chemical called formic acid.

From Science Daily

The formic acid then evaporates as the noodle flies through the air to the metal plate.

From Science Daily

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

Dr Ziyun Wang's researchers in the School of Chemical Sciences, in collaboration with researchers at Chinese institutions, have demonstrated a method for turning CO2 into formic acid, reported in the journal Nature.

From Science Daily