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salicylic acid

noun Chemistry, Pharmacology.

a white, crystalline, very slightly water-soluble powder, C7H6O3, prepared from salicin or phenol: used as a food preservative, in the manufacture of aspirin, and in medicine chiefly in the form of a salicylate as a remedy for rheumatic and gouty conditions.

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Nearby words

  1. salicornia,
  2. salicylaldehyde,
  3. salicylamide,
  4. salicylate,
  5. salicylic,
  6. salicylism,
  7. salience,
  8. saliency,
  9. salient,
  10. salientian

Origin of salicylic acid

First recorded in 1830–40
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for salicylic acid

salicylic acid

/ (ˌsælɪˈsɪlɪk) /

noun

a white crystalline slightly water-soluble substance with a sweet taste and bitter aftertaste, used in the manufacture of aspirin, dyes, and perfumes, and as a fungicide. Formula: C 6 H 4 (OH)(COOH)

Word Origin for salicylic acid

C19: from salicyl (via French from Latin salix a willow + -yl) + -ic
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

Medicine definitions for salicylic acid

salicylic acid

[ săl′ĭ-sĭl′ĭk ]

n.

A white crystalline acid used in making aspirin and in the topical treatment of skin conditions such as eczema.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.

Science definitions for salicylic acid

salicylic acid

[ săl′ĭ-sĭl′ĭk ]

A white, crystalline acid used to make aspirin, to treat certain skin conditions, and to preserve and flavor foods. Salicylic acid is benzoic acid with a hydroxyl group (OH) attached to the carboxyl group (COOH). Chemical formula: C7H6O3.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.