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valeric acid

American  

noun

Chemistry.
  1. any of several isomeric organic acids having the formula C 5 H 10 O 2 , the common one being a liquid of pungent odor obtained from valerian roots: used chiefly as an intermediate in perfumery.


valeric acid British  

noun

  1. another name for pentanoic acid

"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

valeric acid Scientific  
/ və-lîrĭk,-lĕr- /
  1. A colorless, liquid organic acid that occurs in four isomeric forms and has a disagreeable odor. It occurs naturally in oils from certain marine animals and plants, and is used in flavorings, perfumes, plasticizers, and pharmaceuticals. Chemical formula: C 5 H 10 O 2 .


Etymology

Origin of valeric acid

First recorded in 1855–60