ketone

noun

ke·​tone ˈkē-ˌtōn 

: any of a class of organic compounds (such as acetone) characterized by a carbonyl group attached to two carbon atoms

ketonic

kē-ˈtä-nik 

adjective

Examples of ketone in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This process eventually releases substances called ketones, which turn blood acidic. —Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 18 Apr. 2025

Raspberries also contain ketones—a type of phenolic compound—which may stimulate the body to burn fat and even increase hair growth, though the scientific evidence around the use of raspberry ketones is still somewhat limited. —Beatrice Zocchi, Vogue, 11 Apr. 2025

What Is Ketoacidosis? Ketoacidosis, also known as diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), is a serious and potentially life-threatening medical complication in which the body produces excess amounts of ketones, leading to a build-up in the blood. —Melissa Nieves, Verywell Health, 9 Apr. 2025

Other common ingredients are caffeine, green tea, green coffee bean extract, garcinia cambogia, and ketones. —Sohaib Imtiaz, Verywell Health, 24 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from German Keton, coinage based on Aceton acetone

Note: The German term Keton was apparently the coinage of the chemist Leopold Gmelin (1788-1853), who introduced it in Handbuch der organischen Chemie, 1. Band, 4. Auflage (Heidelberg, 1848), p. 40 passim. Gmelin characterized ketones as "Acetone im allgemeinen" ("acetones in general"), acetone being the smallest and simplest ketone.

First Known Use

1851, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing ketone

• ketone body
• methyl ethyl ketone

Medical Definition

ketone

noun

ke·​tone ˈkē-ˌtōn 

: an organic compound (as acetone) with a carbonyl group attached to two carbon atoms