saponify
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to convert (a fat) into soap by treating with an alkali.
-
to decompose (any ester), forming the corresponding alcohol and acid or salt.
verb (used without object)
verb
-
to undergo or cause to undergo a process in which a fat is converted into a soap by treatment with alkali
-
to undergo or cause to undergo a reaction in which an ester is hydrolysed to an acid and an alcohol as a result of treatment with an alkali
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of saponify
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.
See Examples For:
But to simplify the operation, he preferred to saponify the fat by means of lime.
From The Mysterious Island by Jules Verne
Benzine does not act like an alkali; it does not saponify the greasy body, but it dissolves it as water dissolves a salt, a gum or gelatine.
From Book Repair and Restoration by Mitchell Buck
B. lye to saponify a given weight of tallow and 50 per cent. of 38 degs.
From Soap-Making Manual A Practical Handbook on the Raw Materials, Their Manipulation, Analysis and Control in the Modern Soap Plant. by E. G. Thomssen
"This is to saponify the oil," I explained.
From The Water Eater by Winston K. Marks
To saturate the free acid in 1 gramme of wax requires 19 to 21 milligrammes of potassic hydrate, while 73 to 76 milligrammes more are necessary to saponify the myricine ether.
From Scientific American Supplement, No. 443, June 28, 1884 by Various
Margaric Acid is best obtained pure by boiling olive oil with an alkali until it is saponified, and decomposing the soap with an acid, expressing the margaric acid, which separates, and crystallising it from alcohol.
From Elements of Agricultural Chemistry by Thomas Anderson
Fatty acids are readily saponified with caustic soda or caustic potash of all strengths.
From The Handbook of Soap Manufacture by W. H. Simmons
The upper layer is partly saponified fat; the lower layer, or spent lye, is a solution of salt, glycerine, and contains any albuminous matter or any other impurity contained in the fat.
From Soap-Making Manual A Practical Handbook on the Raw Materials, Their Manipulation, Analysis and Control in the Modern Soap Plant. by E. G. Thomssen
The red oil, sometimes called saponified red oil, is often semi-solid, resembling a soft tallow, due to the presence of stearic acid.
From Soap-Making Manual A Practical Handbook on the Raw Materials, Their Manipulation, Analysis and Control in the Modern Soap Plant. by E. G. Thomssen
The oil is now dried with anhydrous sodium sulphate, filtered, and 1-2 grammes weighed into a flask and saponified with alcoholic potash as in the determination of ester or saponification value.
From The Handbook of Soap Manufacture by W. H. Simmons
Thus, if we use caustic alkali as our saponifying agent for a fat or oil, we obtain the sodium or potassium salt of the higher fatty acids or soap and the alcohol, glycerine.
From Soap-Making Manual A Practical Handbook on the Raw Materials, Their Manipulation, Analysis and Control in the Modern Soap Plant. by E. G. Thomssen
It was then necessary to separate the glycerine from the fat by saponifying it.
From The Mysterious Island by Jules Verne
The time consumed in thus saponifying rosin is about five hours.
From Soap-Making Manual A Practical Handbook on the Raw Materials, Their Manipulation, Analysis and Control in the Modern Soap Plant. by E. G. Thomssen
Saponification of the Oil.—Upon saponifying with alcoholic potash, it was found that 1,000 grammes of oil required 175.2 grammes of potash for complete saponification.
From Scientific American Supplement, No. 488, May 9, 1885 by Various
On the other hand, if we use a mineral acid as the saponifying agent, we obtain the fatty acids themselves in addition to glycerine.
From Soap-Making Manual A Practical Handbook on the Raw Materials, Their Manipulation, Analysis and Control in the Modern Soap Plant. by E. G. Thomssen
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.
