Dictionary
quat'ernary ammo'nium com"pound
Chem.
any of a class of salts derived from ammonium in which the nitrogen atom is attached to four organic groups, as in benzalkonium chloride; the salts are cationic surface-active compounds used as antiseptics and disinfectants. Also called
quat'ernary ammo'nium salt". Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.