Dictionary
ma•le'ic ac'id
Pronunciation: (mu-lē'ik), [key] Chem.
a colorless, crystalline, water-soluble solid, C
4H
4O
4, isomeric with fumaric acid, having an astringent, repulsive taste and faint acidulous odor: used in the manufacture of synthetic resins, the dyeing and finishing of textiles, and as a preservative for fats and oils.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.