LAURIC ACID

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does lauric acid mean? 

• LAURIC ACID (noun)
  The noun LAURIC ACID has 1 sense:

1. a crystalline fatty acid occurring as glycerides in natural fats and oils (especially coconut oil and palm-kernel oil)

  Familiarity information: LAURIC ACID used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• LAURIC ACID (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A crystalline fatty acid occurring as glycerides in natural fats and oils (especially coconut oil and palm-kernel oil)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting substances

Synonyms:

dodecanoic acid; lauric acid

Hypernyms ("lauric acid" is a kind of...):

saturated fatty acid (a fatty acid whose carbon chain cannot absorb any more hydrogen atoms; found chiefly in animal fats)

 Context examples 

This alteration in the cytochrome P450 2C9*5 protein sequence increases the Km of this enzyme for (S)-warfarin, diclofenac, and lauric acid, thereby decreasing clearance of these drugs.

(CYP2C9*5 Allele, NCI Thesaurus)

Lauric acid is found naturally in various plant and animal fats and oils, and is a major component of coconut oil and palm kernel oil.

(Lauric Acid, NCI Thesaurus)

However, the coconut oil-derived free fatty acid mixture—lauric acid, capric acid and caprylic acid as well as their corresponding methyl esters—provides strong repellency against blood-sucking insects.

(Coconut Oil Compounds Repel Insects Better than DEET, U.S. Department of Agriculture)