lauric

[lawr-ik, lor-]

adjective

Chemistry.

1. of or derived from lauric acid.

Word History and Origins

Origin of lauric¹

1870–75; < Latin laur ( us ) laurel + -ic

Example Sentences

The oil contains lauric acid, which gives it antiviral and antifungal properties.

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Although lauric acid is usually referred to as a medium-chain fatty acid, Dr. Sacks said, this label is really arbitrary.

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“Classifying lauric acid as a medium-chain fatty acid is a misnomer,” he wrote.

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Perhaps you’ve heard the claim that the primary fatty acid in coconut oil, called lauric acid, doesn’t act like a saturated fat in the body.

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“Rather than the number of carbon atoms in a fat,” he said, “what counts is how the fat is metabolized in the body. Lauric acid behaves like a long-chain fatty acid,” the kind that promotes atherosclerosis.

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