uric acid

noun

Updated on: 13 Mar 2018

Definition of uric acid

: a white odorless and tasteless nearly insoluble acid C₅H₄N₄O₃ that is the chief nitrogenous waste present in the urine especially of birds, reptiles, and insects, is present in small quantity in human urine, and occurs pathologically in renal calculi and the tophi of gout

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Recent Examples of uric acid from the Web

Peas are a source of purines, which can increase the amount of uric acid in your blood and potentially lead to a gout flare-up.

— emily abbate, GQ, "Protein Powder Supplements, Explained: Your Complete Guide to the Smoothie Bar Menu," 5 Mar. 2018
About 20 percent of gout sufferers, without therapy, will develop kidney stones made from uric acid, not calcium oxalate.

— Philly.com, "For Franklin, it came down to lifestyle, family history," 8 Oct. 2017
Today, uric acid crystals are easily recovered and identified under the microscope.

— Philly.com, "For Franklin, it came down to lifestyle, family history," 8 Oct. 2017
In 1776, uric acid was discovered by Swedish German scientist Carl Wilhelm Scheele, who found it in kidney stones and urine.

— Philly.com, "For Franklin, it came down to lifestyle, family history," 8 Oct. 2017
Gaffo started the patient on a medicine that allowed the kidneys to do a better job of ridding the body of uric acid.

— lisa sanders, m.d., New York Times, "Why Had This Man’s Arthritis Become Unbearable Overnight?," 31 Aug. 2017

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

First Known Use of uric acid

1800

Medical Dictionary

uric acid

noun

medical Definition of uric acid

: a white odorless nearly insoluble weak acid C₅H₄N₄O₃ that is present in small quantity in mammalian urine as an end product of purine metabolism, is present abundantly in the form of urates in the excreta of most lower vertebrates and invertebrates as the chief nitrogenous waste, and occurs pathologically in renal calculi and the tophi of gout