folic acid


nounBiochemistry.
  1. a water-soluble vitamin that is converted to a coenzyme essential to purine and thymine biosynthesis: deficiency causes a form of anemia.

Origin of folic acid

1
First recorded in 1940–45

Words Nearby folic acid

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British Dictionary definitions for folic acid

folic acid

/ (ˈfəʊlɪk, ˈfɒl-, ˈfəʊleɪt) /


noun
  1. any of a group of vitamins of the B complex, including pteroylglutamic acid and its derivatives: used in the treatment of megaloblastic anaemia: Also called: folacin

Origin of folic acid

1
C20: from Latin folium leaf; so called because it may be obtained from green leaves

Derived forms of folic acid

  • folate, noun, adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for folic acid

folic acid

[ lĭk, fŏlĭk ]


  1. A water-soluble vitamin belonging to the vitamin B complex that is necessary for the formation of red blood cells and important in embryonic development. It is also the parent compound of coenzymes in various metabolic reactions. Folic acid is found especially in green leafy vegetables, liver, and fresh fruit. Deficiency of folic acid in the diet results in anemia. Chemical formula: C19H19N7O6.

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