Dictionary
palmit'ic ac'id
Chem.
a white, crystalline, water-insoluble solid, C
16H
32O
2, 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
cetylic acid, hexadecanoic acid. Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.