fatty acid

noun

|Updated on: 11 Aug 2018

Definition of fatty acid

1 : any of numerous saturated aliphatic monocarboxylic acids C_nH_2n₊₁COOH (such as acetic acid) including many that occur naturally usually in the form of esters in fats, waxes, and essential oils

2 : any of the saturated or unsaturated monocarboxylic acids (such as palmitic acid) usually with an even number of carbon atoms that occur naturally in the form of glycerides in fats and fatty oils

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Recent Examples of fatty acid from the Web

Omega-3 fatty acids can reduce inflammation which causes swelling and pain.

— orthocincy, Cincinnati.com, "Benefits of eating fish," 19 June 2018
Crickets pack more protein than beef, more calcium than milk, more iron than spinach and as many fatty acids as salmon.

— carl engelking, Discover Magazine, "A New Animal Farm," 12 June 2018
Anti-inflammatory omega-3 DHA fatty acids are essential for eye and brain health.

— Houston Chronicle, "10 steps to protect your heart, brain and body from disease and premature aging," 20 May 2018
And that is not all: extracts from the rose flower itself contain many essential fatty acids such as ω3 and ω6 as well as micronutrients like α-tocopherol (Vitamin E) and β-sitosterol (which is a phytosterol).

— bel dumé, Scientific American, "For Better Skin Care, Start With Better Combinations of Ingredients," 4 May 2018
Try this ultra-nourishing retinoid oil; in addition to a blend of vitamin A, pro vitamin A, and retinoid, the formula contains vitamin E and omega fatty acids to soothe and hydrate.

— kathleen mulpeter, Health.com, "The Best Anti-Aging Products to Buy at the Dermstore Sale," 27 Mar. 2018
Labels also list significant quantities of healthy fatty acids, a big part of acai's superfood status (though other berries have similar attributes).

— benjamin romano, Anchorage Daily News, "Costco: Polish dog’s demise probably won’t be postponed by polemics," 12 July 2018
Qualitas is growing a genus of algae called nannochloropsis, targeting each of omega-3’s two essential long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids.

— lynn brezosky, San Antonio Express-News, "Remote Texas algae farm grows a food for the future," 27 June 2018
Using data from a large national health survey, researchers found that multivitamins were the most common supplements, followed by vitamin C, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D and melatonin.

— nicholas bakalar, New York Times, "A Third of Children Use Alternative Medicines," 18 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'fatty acid.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of fatty acid

1838

in the meaning defined at sense 1

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FATTY ACID Defined for English Language Learners

fatty acid

noun

Definition of fatty acid for English Language Learners

: an acid that is naturally in fats and various oils

Medical Dictionary

fatty acid

noun

medical Definition of fatty acid

1 : any of numerous saturated aliphatic acids C_nH₂_n₊₁COOH (as lauric acid) containing a single carboxyl group and including many that occur naturally usually in the form of esters in fats, waxes, and essential oils

2 : any of the saturated or unsaturated organic acids (as palmitic acid) that have a single carboxyl group and usually an even number of carbon atoms and that occur naturally in the form of glycerides in fats and fatty oils