Dictionary.com

Popular Searches

 Thesaurus.com

maleic acid

American  
[muh-lee-ik] / məˈli ɪk /

noun

Chemistry.

  1. a colorless, crystalline, water-soluble solid, C 4 H 4 O 4 , isomeric with fumaric acid, having an astringent, repulsive taste and faint acidulous odor: used in the manufacture of synthetic resins, the dyeing and finishing of textiles, and as a preservative for fats and oils.

maleic acid British  
/ məˈleɪɪk /

noun

  1. Systematic name: cis-butanedioic acid.  a colourless soluble crystalline substance used to synthesize other compounds. Formula: HOOCCH:CHCOOH

"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
maleic acid Scientific  
/ mə-lē′ĭk /

  1. A colorless crystalline acid used in textile processing and as an oil and fat preservative. Maleic acid is a geometric isomer of fumaric acid, having two carboxyl groups (COOH) on the same side of an ethylene chain. Chemical formula: C 4 H 4 O 4 .

Etymology

Origin of maleic acid

1870–75; < French maléique, alteration of malique malic

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.

The styrene–maleic acid copolymer: a versatile tool in membrane research.

From Nature

Consuming high levels of maleic acid can cause kidney damage.

From BBC

Singapore's Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority has recalled 11 types of tapioca starch balls made in Taiwan that are used in popular 'bubble teas', after they were found to contain maleic acid.

From BBC

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

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.