carboxylic acid

noun

: an organic acid (such as acetic acid) containing one or more carboxyl groups

Examples of carboxylic acid in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
In yellow feathers, the chains ended with a different molecule called carboxylic acid. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 Nov. 2024 Aliphatic aldehydes, which have been found in some types of carbonaceous meteorites that have fallen to Earth, are precursors of carboxylic acids and amino acids. Elizabeth Rayne, Ars Technica, 14 Nov. 2023 Another study found carboxylic acid in our skin to be an important attractant. Judy Stone, Forbes, 6 May 2023 The new study had too few participants to say what personal characteristics make someone more likely to produce high levels of carboxylic acids—and there’s no easy way to test your own skin’s carboxylic acid levels outside of the laboratory, Vosshall says. Daniel Leonard, Scientific American, 18 Oct. 2022 This can be accomplished by means of a process known as decarboxylation during which heat is applied to cannabis in order to trigger a chemical reaction that removes the COOH group (carboxylic acid) from each cannabinoid, converting Delta 8 THC into Delta 9 THC. Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 11 Oct. 2022 People with skin that produce greater levels of carboxylic acid were significantly more appealing to mosquitoes than those that produced less. Tracey Harrington McCoy, Peoplemag, 18 Oct. 2022 But one difference was particularly distinctive: The mosquito magnets had much higher rates of carboxylic acid on their skin than the low attractors. Zoe Sottile, CNN, 22 Oct. 2022 Humans emit copious amounts of carboxylic acid when compared to animals and De Obaldia suggests that's why mosquitoes gravitate to us. Tracey Harrington McCoy, Peoplemag, 18 Oct. 2022

Word History

First Known Use

1868, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of carboxylic acid was in 1868

Dictionary Entries Near carboxylic acid

Cite this Entry

“Carboxylic acid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/carboxylic%20acid. Accessed 15 Nov. 2024.

Medical Definition

carboxylic acid

noun
: an organic acid (as an acetic acid) containing one or more carboxyl groups

More from Merriam-Webster on carboxylic acid

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!