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linolenic acid

/ (ˌlɪnəʊˈlɛnɪk, -ˈliː-) /

noun

a colourless unsaturated essential fatty acid found in drying oils, such as linseed oil, and used in making paints and synthetic resins; 9,12,15-octadecatrienoic acid. Formula: C 18 H 30 O 2Also called: alpha-linolenic acid

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Nearby words

  1. lino tile,
  2. linocut,
  3. linoleate,
  4. linoleic,
  5. linoleic acid,
  6. linoleum,
  7. linoleum block,
  8. linotype,
  9. lins,
  10. linsang
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

Science definitions for linolenic acid

linolenic acid

[ lĭn′ə-lĕn′ĭk ]

An unsaturated fatty acid that has three double bonds and is a nutrient essential to the formation of prostaglandins in the human body. Linolenic acid belongs to the class of omega-3 fatty acids. It is an important component of natural drying oils (such as linseed oil) and is also found in some fish oils. Chemical formula: C18H30O2.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.