1 stearic acid | Definition of stearic acid
Logo
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

stearic acid

noun
stea·​ric acid | \ stÄ“-ˈer-ik- How to pronounce stearic acid (audio) , stÄ“-ˈa-rik-, ˈstir-ik-\

Definition of stearic acid

: a white crystalline fatty acid C18H36O2 obtained by saponifying tallow or other hard fats containing stearin also : a commercial mixture of stearic and palmitic acids

Examples of stearic acid in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

 And all of the samples contained chemicals like palmitic acid and stearic acid, which suggest plant oils and waxes were also part of the mix. — Kiona N. Smith, Ars Technica, "Neanderthals glued their tools together," 2 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'stearic acid.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of stearic acid

1830, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for stearic acid

French stéarique, from Greek stear hard fat

Keep scrolling for more

Keep scrolling for more

More Definitions for stearic acid

stearic acid

noun
stea·​ric acid | \ stÄ“-ËŒar-ik- How to pronounce stearic acid (audio) , ËŒsti(É™)r-ik- How to pronounce stearic acid (audio) \

Medical Definition of stearic acid

: a white crystalline fatty acid C18H36O2 obtained by saponifying tallow or other hard fats containing stearin also : a commercial mixture of stearic and palmitic acids

More from Merriam-Webster on stearic acid

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about stearic acid

WORD OF THE DAY

See Definitions and Examples

Get Word of the Day daily email!