palmitic acid: Meaning and Definition of

palmit'ic ac'id

Pronunciation: [key]
— Chem. Chem.
  1. a white, crystalline, water-insoluble solid, CHO, obtained by hydrolysis from palm oil and natural fats, in which it occurs as the glyceride, and from spermaceti: used in the manufacture of soap. Also called
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.