lauric acid
a white, crystalline, water-insoluble powder, C12H24O2, a fatty acid occurring as the glyceride in many vegetable fats, especially coconut oil and laurel oil: used chiefly in the manufacture of soaps, detergents, cosmetics, and lauryl alcohol.
Origin of lauric acid
1- Also called dodecanoic acid.
Words Nearby lauric acid
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use lauric acid in a sentence
Laurin (Trilaurin) may be prepared synthetically from glycerol and lauric acid.
The Handbook of Soap Manufacture | W. H. Simmons
British Dictionary definitions for lauric acid
/ (ˈlɔːrɪk, ˈlɒ-) /
another name for dodecanoic acid
Origin of lauric acid
1Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Scientific definitions for lauric acid
[ lôr′ĭk ]
A saturated fatty acid obtained chiefly from coconut and laurel oils and used in making soaps, cosmetics, esters, and lauryl alcohol. It is combustible and forms colorless needles that have waxy odor and taste. Chemical formula: C12H24O2.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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