propiolic acid

noun

pro·​pi·​olic acid

¦prōpē¦ōlik-,

-¦älik-

: a pungent liquid acetylenic acid HC≡CCOOH made by carbonation of sodium acetylide that forms not only salts but also metallic derivatives like those of acetylene

Word History

Etymology

propiolic International Scientific Vocabulary propionic (in propionic acid) + -ol- (probably from sterolic acid) + -ic; probably from the fact that the relation of propiolic acid to propionic acid is analogous to that of stearolic acid to stearic acid

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!