maleic acid
a colorless, crystalline, water-soluble solid, C4H4O4, isomeric with fumaric acid, having an astringent, repulsive taste and faint acidulous odor: used in the manufacture of synthetic resins, the dyeing and finishing of textiles, and as a preservative for fats and oils.
Origin of maleic acid
1Words Nearby maleic acid
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
British Dictionary definitions for maleic acid
/ (məˈleɪɪk) /
a colourless soluble crystalline substance used to synthesize other compounds. Formula: HOOCCH:CHCOOH: Systematic name: cis-butanedioic acid
Origin of maleic acid
1Collins 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 maleic acid
[ mə-lē′ĭk ]
A colorless crystalline acid used in textile processing and as an oil and fat preservative. Maleic acid is a geometric isomer of fumaric acid, having two carboxyl groups (COOH) on the same side of an ethylene chain. Chemical formula: C4H4O4.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Browse