uric acid

noun

1. Biochemistry.,  a compound, C 5 H 4 N 4 O 3 , present in mammalian urine in small amounts, and the principal nitrogenous component of the excrement of reptiles and birds, that in the form of its salts occurs in the joints in gout and as the major constituent of kidney stones.

2. Chemistry.,  a white, crystalline, odorless, tasteless, very slightly water-soluble powder form of this compound, obtained chiefly from urine or bird excrement or synthesized, used chiefly in organic synthesis.

uric acid

noun

1. a white odourless tasteless crystalline product of protein metabolism, present in the blood and urine; 2,6,8-trihydroxypurine. Formula: C 5 H 4 N 4 O 3

uric acid

1. The chief nitrogen-containing waste product excreted in the urine of birds, insects, and most reptiles. It is produced by the breakdown of amino acids in the liver. Uric acid is also produced in small quantities in humans by the breakdown of purines, and elevated levels in the blood can lead to gout. Chemical formula: C ₅ H ₄ N ₄ O ₃ .

Other Word Forms

• uric-acid adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of uric acid¹

First recorded in 1790–1800