any usually water-insoluble salt formed by the interaction of a fatty acid and a metal, especially lead or aluminum: used chiefly as a drier in paints and varnishes and for waterproofing textiles.
any one of a number of colloidal stearates, palmitates, or oleates of various metals, including aluminium, calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc. They are used as bases for ointments, fungicides, fireproofing and waterproofing agents, and dryers for paints and varnishes
