oxalic acid

noun

, Chemistry.

1. a white, crystalline, water-soluble, poisonous acid, H 2 C 2 O 4 ⋅2H 2 O, first discovered in the juice of the wood sorrel species of oxalis and obtained by reacting carbon monoxide with sodium hydroxide or certain carbohydrates with acids or alkalis: used chiefly for bleaching, as a cleanser, and as a laboratory reagent.

oxalic acid

/ ɒkˈsælɪk /

noun

1. a colourless poisonous crystalline dicarboxylic acid found in many plants: used as a bleach and a cleansing agent for metals. Formula: (COOH) 2 Systematic nameethanedioic acid

oxalic acid

/ ŏk-săl′ĭk /

1. A poisonous, crystalline acid found in a number of plants such as sorrel and the leaf blades of rhubarb. It is used for many industrial purposes, including rust removal and bleaching. Chemical formula: C 2 H 2 O 4 .

Word History and Origins

Origin of oxalic acid¹

First recorded in 1785–95

Word History and Origins

Origin of oxalic acid¹

C18: from French oxalique, from Latin oxalis garden sorrel; see oxalis

Example Sentences

And while many metals must be refined using harsh chemicals and processes that generate air and water pollution, crystals are often just washed with water or oxalic acid.

From National Geographic

These animals showed lowered levels of a compound called oxalic acid, which indicates sleep deprivation.

From Science Magazine

Instead, the researchers measured levels of oxalic acid, a metabolite associated with sleep loss, for some of the animals before, during and after the breeding season.

From New York Times

The chestnut blight secretes a searing chemical, oxalic acid, into the tree bark, eventually causing cankers and death.

From Salon

Among other things, the epidermal bladder cells of quinoa contain oxalic acid, a compound also found in rhubarb, which acts as a deadly poison on pests.

From Science Daily