ricinoleic acid

noun

ri·​cin·​ole·​ic acid ˌrī-sə-nō-ˈlē-ik- How to pronounce ricinoleic acid (audio)
ˌri-,
-ˈlā-
: an oily unsaturated hydroxy fatty acid C18H34O3 that occurs in castor oil as a glyceride and yields esters important as plasticizers

Examples of ricinoleic acid in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Castor oil's main ingredient, ricinoleic acid, is a fatty acid with laxative, anti-inflammatory, and wound-healing properties.45 Castor oil has a rich history of use, spanning cultures worldwide for centuries. Lindsay Curtis, Health, 5 Jan. 2025 Castor oil, which is a type of oil that is extracted from the castor bean, contains a compound known as ricinoleic acid. Sherri Gordon, Health, 22 July 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin ricinus + English oleic acid

First Known Use

1847, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ricinoleic acid was in 1847

Dictionary Entries Near ricinoleic acid

Cite this Entry

“Ricinoleic acid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ricinoleic%20acid. Accessed 25 Jan. 2025.

Medical Definition

: an oily unsaturated hydroxy fatty acid C18H34O3 that occurs in castor oil as a glyceride

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