hexanoic acid

American

[hek-suh-noh-ik, hek-suh-] / ˈhɛk səˈnoʊ ɪk, ˌhɛk sə- /

noun

caproic acid.

hexanoic acid British

/ ˌhɛksəˈnəʊɪk /

noun

an insoluble oily carboxylic acid found in coconut and palm oils and in milk. Formula: C 5 H 11 COOH

"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

Etymology

Origin of hexanoic acid

First recorded in 1925–30; hexane + -o- + -ic

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

When Keasling’s team added different chemicals into their yeast’s sugary diet, the genetically modified microbes incorporated those substances instead of the hexanoic acid, resulting in new, never-before-seen compounds.

From Scientific American

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023