oleic acid

American  

noun

Chemistry.

1. a colorless, odorless, liquid, water-insoluble, unsaturated acid, C 1 8 H 3 4 O 2 , obtained from animal tallow and natural vegetable oils, in which it occurs as the glycerol ester: used chiefly in the manufacture of soap, commercial oleates, and cosmetics.

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oleic acid British  

/ əʊˈliːɪk /

noun

1. Systematic name: cis-9-octadecenoic acid. a colourless oily liquid unsaturated acid occurring, as the glyceride, in almost all natural fats used in making soaps, ointments, cosmetics, and lubricating oils. Formula: CH 3 (CH 2 ) 7 CH:CH(CH 2 ) 7 COOH

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oleic acid Scientific  

/ ō-lē′ĭk /

1. An oily liquid occurring in animal and vegetable oils and used in making soap. Chemical formula: C ₁₈ H ₃₄ O ₂ .

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Etymology

Origin of oleic acid

First recorded in 1810–20

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

oleic acid

Researchers found evidence that oleic acid may encourage tumor growth in pancreatic cancer, a result that surprised the team because of the fatty acid's long-standing reputation as a heart-healthy dietary fat.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 2, 2026

Full-blooded Wagyu meat is touted by the industry to have less high oleic acid and lower saturated fat.

From Washington Times ● Mar. 20, 2020

About 40% of red palm oil is oleic acid, an unsaturated fat present in higher quantities in olive oil and believed to be part of the reason for its heart benefits.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2015

Long-chain organic ligands, such as oleic acid, are used in the synthesis of PbSe QDs to control growth kinetics, allow for stable colloidal dispersions, and passivate surface states through their metal-ligand chemistry.

From Science Magazine ● Dec. 15, 2011

The fluid acid in its properties resembles the oleic acid discovered by Chevreul, and seems to dry easily.

From The Commercial Products of the Vegetable Kingdom Considered in Their Various Uses to Man and in Their Relation to the Arts and Manufactures; Forming a Practical Treatise & Handbook of Reference for the Colonist, Manufacturer, Merchant, and Consumer, on the Cultivation, Preparation for Shipment, and Commercial Value, &c. of the Various Substances Obtained From Trees and Plants, Entering into the Husbandry of Tropical and Sub-tropical Regions, &c. by P. L. Simmonds