stearic acid

noun

stea·​ric acid stē-ˈa-rik- How to pronounce stearic acid (audio)
stē-ˈer-ik-,
ˈstir-ik- How to pronounce stearic acid (audio)
: 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
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.
Two types of fatty acids, palmitic and stearic acid, make up more than 90% of the caecilian milk-fat total, per the study. Popular Science, 7 Mar. 2024 Key ingredients Titanium dioxide, octisalate, stearic acid Size 1 fl. Sam Peters, ELLE, 28 Feb. 2023 The lotion includes hydrating shea butter and jojoba oil, softening stearic acid, and grape seed oil—which one study found helped encourage wound healing in a group of recently-tattooed individuals. Sam Peters, ELLE, 16 Feb. 2023 This illustration of stearic acid shows the 18 carbon molecules binding to 36 hydrogen molecules and to two oxygen molecules. Heidi Silver, Discover Magazine, 31 Jan. 2019 Two ingredients to look for in a body wash, according to Joshua Zeicher, MD, Director of Cosmetic and Clinical Research, Department of Dermatology at Mount Sinai in New York City, are stearic acid and ceramides. Christian Gollayan, Men's Health, 17 Nov. 2022 Emulsifiers: Ingredients such as xanthan gum or stearic acid that prevent a formula from separating. Nia Decaille, Washington Post, 7 Feb. 2020 Replacements for trans fats include high oleic oils, fully hydrogenated oils (high in stearic acid) and tropical oils (mainly palm oil). Environmental Nutrition, sun-sentinel.com, 28 Aug. 2019 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, 2 July 2019

Word History

Etymology

French stéarique, from Greek stear hard fat

First Known Use

1830, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of stearic acid was in 1830

Dictionary Entries Near stearic acid

Cite this Entry

“Stearic acid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stearic%20acid. Accessed 9 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

stearic acid

noun
stea·​ric acid stē-ˌar-ik- How to pronounce stearic acid (audio) ˌsti(ə)r-ik- How to pronounce stearic acid (audio)
: acid obtained by the hydrolysis of a hard fat (as tallow) with alkali

Medical Definition

stearic acid

noun
stea·​ric acid stē-ˌar-ik- How to pronounce stearic acid (audio) ˌsti(ə)r-ik- How to pronounce stearic acid (audio)
: 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

Last Updated: - Definition revised
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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