fatty acid

noun

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

Examples of fatty acid in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Side effects from omega 3 fatty acids can include burping up a fishy taste, stomach distress, and heartburn. — David Becker, Philly.com, "Why this cardiologist is no longer recommending fish oil supplements," 1 May 2018 Though these fatty acids are critical to cell function, the human body has difficulty making them on its own, so has to get them from diet. — Betsy Mckay, WSJ, "Fish Oil: Hunting for Evidence to Tip the Scales," 2 Jan. 2019 Kirkpatrick says that these fatty acids are essential to the healthy brain development of babies. — Carolyn Todd, Allure, "Everything You Should Know Before Taking Fish Oil Supplements," 21 Aug. 2018 An allele that leads to less efficient conversion medium-chain fatty acids into long-chain ones has about a 95-percent frequency in the Flores population, which is similar to its frequency in other Southeast Asian groups. — Kiona N. Smith, Ars Technica, "The modern pygmies of Flores are not related to Homo floresiensis," 2 Aug. 2018 These fatty acids are essential, and regularly consuming the right amount can benefit the health of your brain, heart, eyes, joints and even skin! — Danielle Page, USA TODAY, "What everyone should know about Omega-3s," 1 June 2018 Used topically, castor oil's fatty acids can help moisturize and nurture almost every part of your body. — Caroline Picard, Good Housekeeping, "The 5 Best Benefits of Castor Oil Are Mostly for Your Hair and Skin," 15 Feb. 2019 The new fatty acids have 24 carbon atoms each, while most in the group have 16 or 18. — John Wenz, Popular Mechanics, "This Purple Plant Has a Secret That Could Replace Synthetic Engine Oil," 27 Aug. 2018 The key components of fish oil, two polyunsaturated fatty acids called eicosapentaenoic acid, or EPA, and docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA, are designed to be in the membranes of cells all throughout the body. — Betsy Mckay, WSJ, "Fish Oil: Hunting for Evidence to Tip the Scales," 2 Jan. 2019

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.

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Last Updated

10 Mar 2019

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The first known use of fatty acid was in 1838

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More Definitions for fatty acid

fatty acid

noun

English Language Learners Definition of fatty acid

: an acid that is naturally in fats and various oils

See the full definition for fatty acid in the English Language Learners 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