aliphatic
adjective
al·i·phat·ic
| \ ˌa-lə-ˈfa-tik
\
\
Definition of aliphatic
: of, relating to, or being an organic compound (such as an alkane) having an open-chain structure — compare alicyclic, aromatic sense 2
Examples of aliphatic in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
On earth, propane and butane are examples of aliphatic carbon compounds. — Jason Daley, Smithsonian, "Our Galaxy Is Really Greasy and Smells Like Moth Balls," 28 June 2018 One is a bond that resembles a mothball, called aromatic carbon, while the other resembles grease and is called aliphatic. — David Grossman, Popular Mechanics, "The Milky Way Is Full of Potentially Toxic "Space Grease"," 28 June 2018 The result of this careful analysis is that scientists have conclusively found thiophenic, aromatic, and aliphatic organic compounds on Mars. — Eric Berger, Ars Technica, "Finally, scientists have found intriguing organic molecules on Mars," 7 June 2018 The signature Dawn spotted appears to be one of aliphatic organic matter— — Erin Blakemore, Smithsonian, "Organic Material Found on Ceres Hints at Potential for Life," 17 Feb. 2017These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'aliphatic.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for aliphatic
aliphatic
adjective
al·i·phat·ic
| \ ˌal-ə-ˈfat-ik
\
\
Medical Definition of aliphatic
: of, relating to, or being an organic compound (as an alkane or alkene) having an open-chain structure — compare alicyclic, aromatic entry 1 sense 2