acid value
- noun
- Specialized
:
valor ácido
- The acid value of the oil was tested to determine its level of freshness and quality.
Examples
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With a low acid value, the butter indicated that it was still suitable for consumption.
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To improve the formulation, the scientists measured the acid value of each sample of fat.
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By contrast, there was no significant difference between these groups in arachidonic acid values (9.4 ± 2.0 vs 8.8 ± 1.8%).
Academic text (2000)
How Acidic
- Specialized
- Specialized
- Specialized
2
6.3
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound combines 'acid' and 'value' in a way that signals a measurable quantity related to acidity, so a B1 learner who knows both words would likely infer it refers to an acidity level or amount. However, the precise technical meaning (specifically free acid in fats/oils and the measurement units/procedure) is domain-specific and not predictable from the constituents alone, making full understanding unlikely without background knowledge.
Etymology
Acid value comes from a simple test where someone adds a substance that cancels acid to a fat or oil until the free acid is gone, and they measure how much was needed — that measured number is the value. So a higher acid value shows a larger 'amount of free acid' and usually means lower 'quality' of the oil.