Definition of pyroligneous acid
: an acid reddish-brown aqueous liquid containing chiefly acetic acid, methanol, wood oils, and tars that is obtained by destructive distillation of wood
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Origin and Etymology of pyroligneous acid
French pyroligneux, from pyr- + ligneux woody, from Latin lignosus, from lignum wood — more at ligneous
First Known Use: 1788
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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pyroligneous acid
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