ketone

noun ke·tone \ ˈkē-ˌtōn \

Updated on: 15 Apr 2018

Definition of ketone

: any of a class of organic compounds (such as acetone) characterized by a carbonyl group attached to two carbon atoms

—

ketonic

play \kē-ˈtä-nik\ adjective

Recent Examples of ketone from the Web

Health contributing nutrition editor Cynthia Sass warns that the biggest risk associated with a keto diet is the potential for ketoacidosis, which occurs when excess ketones build up and blood becomes acidic and can be life-threatening.

— blake bakkila, Health.com, "7 Keto-Friendly Recipes People Are Loving on Pinterest," 8 Mar. 2018
Even people with type 2 diabetes following a ketogenic diet should regularly test their blood sugar and ketone levels to prevent DKA.

— amy gorin, NBC News, "What is the keto diet — and is it right for you?," 22 Feb. 2018
These ketones then travel to the brain and feed the brain, replacing glucose.

— susie neilson, The Cut, "10 Days of Eating Fat, for My Mental Health," 26 Jan. 2018
The author obviously spent little time researching ketone production and its use through all of human evolution.

— Good Housekeeping, "The 5 Most Common Arguments for the Keto Diet, Debunked," 16 Feb. 2018
The keto diet deliberately places the body in a state of ketosis, where fat is released from cells and turned into ketones, the body’s plan B for energy production.

— kate morgan, The Cut, "What Exactly Is the Keto Diet, and Is It Safe?," 31 Jan. 2018
Less than six months later, in February 2004, a leak in a heat exchanger at Sarnia's Imperial Oil discharged cooling water to the St. Clair River contaminated with two potentially harmful chemicals, methyl ethyl ketone and methyl isobutyl ketone.

— keith matheny, Detroit Free Press, "Years apart, 2 residents champion Lake St. Clair and its environmental problems," 3 Oct. 2017
This is a state in which fat stores in the body are broken down into ketones, which then fuel the muscles and brain.

— liz krieger, Harper's BAZAAR, "The Low-Carb, High-Fat Diet That's Sweeping The Nation," 18 Sep. 2017
Take too little, and your glucose levels will rise, filling the body with dangerous levels of ketones.

— jacob brogan, Slate Magazine, "Can synthetic biology finally cure the autoimmune disease?," 1 May 2017

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