formic acid

noun

for·mic acid | \ ˈfȯr-mik-

Definition of formic acid

: a colorless pungent fuming vesicant liquid acid CH₂O₂ found especially in ants and in many plants and used chiefly in dyeing and finishing textiles

Examples of formic acid in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Instead of becoming a harmless chemical building block, the body metabolizes methanol into toxic formic acid. — Carrie Arnold, National Geographic, 19 Aug. 2020 Sharp, slightly vinegary formic acid is the one-carbon volatile acid, a chemical weapon found in ants and other insects but turned against them by the anteater, which relies on it to help digest them. — Harold Mcgee, WSJ, 24 Oct. 2020 Both strategies allow the body to excrete the methanol before it’s turned into formic acid. — Carrie Arnold, National Geographic, 19 Aug. 2020 Methanol is metabolized to formaldehyde, then to formic acid inside the body. — Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 6 July 2020 Inside the body, methanol is metabolized to formaldehyde, then to formic acid. — Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 23 June 2020 Different species might sting their enemies, bite them with powerful jaws or shoot them with jets of formic acid. — Cara Giaimo, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2020 Scientists have created a way to convert carbon dioxide, an important greenhouse gas, into formic acid. — Jennifer Leman, Popular Mechanics, 4 Sep. 2019 Hart tells the Guardian that the birds can appear drunk after eating just a few of the insects, perhaps as a result of the formic acid found in the ants’ bodies. — Meilan Solly, Smithsonian, 20 July 2019

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