: any of various cyclic esters formed from hydroxy acids
Examples of lactone in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
American oak generally imparts sweeter, more intense vanilla, coconut, and caramel flavors due to higher levels of vanillin and lactones and the wood's looser grain structure.
—
Joseph V Micallef, Forbes, 22 Mar. 2025
Within 48 hours of their stroke, they were treated with either ginkgo diterpene lactone meglumine (GDLM) or a placebo for 14 days.2
What Is an Ischemic Stroke?
—Nick Blackmer, Verywell Health, 16 Feb. 2024
Hookworm is typically treated with one of three classes of antiparasitic drugs: benzimidazoles, macrocyclic lactones or tetrahydropyrimidines.
—Bradley Van Paridon, Scientific American, 1 June 2023
In other words, the oak lactones flee from the growing amount of water and have less and less surface area from which to contribute to the aroma.
—Caroline Delbert, Popular Mechanics, 6 May 2023
The semi-synthetic drug is classified as a macrocyclic lactone, a molecule made up of a ring of mostly carbon and oxygen atoms.
—Miriam Fauzia, USA TODAY, 12 Oct. 2021
Another clean fragrance brand, St. Rose, imbues its creations with a macrocyclic synthetic musk called juniper lactone to lend scents like St. Rose’s Desert Nomad an earthy bounce.
—ELLE, 30 Apr. 2022
Ivermectin was developed by Merck in the 1970s, decades before molnupiravir, and is classified as a macrocyclic lactone.
—Miriam Fauzia, USA TODAY, 12 Oct. 2021
The company was able to biosynthesize the musk fragrance compounds by leveraging its lactone production technology with its lipid platform.
—John Cumbers, Forbes, 12 May 2021
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Joseph V Micallef, Forbes, 22 Mar. 2025
Within 48 hours of their stroke, they were treated with either ginkgo diterpene lactone meglumine (GDLM) or a placebo for 14 days.2
What Is an Ischemic Stroke?
—Nick Blackmer, Verywell Health, 16 Feb. 2024
Hookworm is typically treated with one of three classes of antiparasitic drugs: benzimidazoles, macrocyclic lactones or tetrahydropyrimidines.
—Bradley Van Paridon, Scientific American, 1 June 2023
In other words, the oak lactones flee from the growing amount of water and have less and less surface area from which to contribute to the aroma.
—Caroline Delbert, Popular Mechanics, 6 May 2023
The semi-synthetic drug is classified as a macrocyclic lactone, a molecule made up of a ring of mostly carbon and oxygen atoms.
—Miriam Fauzia, USA TODAY, 12 Oct. 2021
Another clean fragrance brand, St. Rose, imbues its creations with a macrocyclic synthetic musk called juniper lactone to lend scents like St. Rose’s Desert Nomad an earthy bounce.
—ELLE, 30 Apr. 2022
Ivermectin was developed by Merck in the 1970s, decades before molnupiravir, and is classified as a macrocyclic lactone.
—Miriam Fauzia, USA TODAY, 12 Oct. 2021
The company was able to biosynthesize the musk fragrance compounds by leveraging its lactone production technology with its lipid platform.
—John Cumbers, Forbes, 12 May 2021
Cite this Entry
“Lactone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lactone. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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lactone
noun
lac·tone
ˈlak-ˌtōn 
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