valeric acid

American

noun

Chemistry.

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

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-lîr′ĭk,-lĕr′- /

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

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.

Upon conducting further analyses, the team found that treating dendritic cells with valeric acid led to an increase in the uptake of soluble proteins, insoluble beads, and Staphylococcus aureus bacteria.

From Science Daily

Small quantities of valeric acid, higher alcohols, and odorous products were formed.

From Project Gutenberg

Marquardt,8 like Betelli, extracts the fusel oil from alcohol by means of chloroform, and by oxidation converts it into valeric acid.

From Project Gutenberg

In contrast, the treatment of BMDCs with valeric acid enhanced their antigen presentation ability.

From Science Daily

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023