butyrate

noun

bu·​ty·​rate ˈbyü-tə-ˌrāt How to pronounce butyrate (audio)
: a salt or ester of butyric acid

Examples of butyrate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Because resistant starch isn’t digested by our enzymes, gut microbes break it down instead, producing compounds like butyrate that support health. Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Dec. 2025 Several experimental studies have shown that type 3 resistant starch is formed during cooling, producing the beneficial short-chain fatty acids known as butyrate. Desireé Oostland, Vogue, 4 Dec. 2025 When fiber is transformed into beneficial compounds like butyrate, these compounds help reinforce the protective barrier of the gut lining and boost immune function, said Allen A. Lee, MD, MS, a clinical lecturer specializing in gastroenterology at the University of Michigan Health. Caitlin Pagán, Verywell Health, 24 Nov. 2025 These fibers are broken down by gut bacteria to produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), compounds such as butyrate that help support gut health, regulate pH, improve metabolism and reduce inflammation, according to various studies. Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 15 Nov. 2025 SCFAs, including butyrate, propionate, and acetate, support gut health by fueling the cells lining the large intestine, supporting intestinal mucus production, and reducing intestinal inflammation. Jillian Kubala, Health, 30 Oct. 2025 Intense exercise raises lactate levels, and certain microbes can feed on lactate, converting it into SCFAs like butyrate and propionate. New Atlas, 25 Aug. 2025 Of these smaller molecules, butyrate has emerged as an especially important link between exercise and the gut. Lydia Denworth, Scientific American, 20 May 2025 Plants exude a variety of waste products that microbes consume, such as glucose, acetate, butyrate, and propionate. IEEE Spectrum, 29 Jan. 2013

Word History

First Known Use

1852, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of butyrate was in 1852

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Cite this Entry

“Butyrate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/butyrate. Accessed 17 Dec. 2025.

Medical Definition

butyrate

noun
bu·​ty·​rate ˈbyüt-ə-ˌrāt How to pronounce butyrate (audio)
: a salt or ester of butyric acid
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