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Glite Dictionary
caprylic acid

caprylic acid

9.4
A fatty acid in foods like butter or coconut oil used to make perfumes and food additives
  • noun
  • /kəˈprɪlɪk ˈæsɪd/
  • Specialized
translation icon : ácido caprílico
  • In addition to butter, caprylic acid is found in coconut oil and is used as a food additive.

Examples

  • Goat milk contains a significant amount of caprylic acid, which contributes to its distinctive flavor.

  • Caprylic acid is often used in the production of esters for perfumes.

  • Researchers studied the effects of caprylic acid on bacterial growth in dairy products.

  • Did you know about caprylic acid?

  • Many people are unaware of caprylic acid and its benefits.

  • Caprylic acid is a key ingredient in many cosmetic products due to its moisturizing properties.

  • The rancid taste of caprylic acid can be detected in certain types of dairy products.

Surface Forms

caprylic acid singular
caprylic acids plural

Morphology

caprylic + acid

The modifier 'caprylic' is a technical chemical term (not a transparent English word) and does not convey the specific sense 'a particular fatty acid' to a B1 learner who only knows the common word 'acid'. The compound is a specialized nomenclature item whose meaning must be learned rather than compositional, so it is not predictable from its parts.

Etymology

Caprylic acid comes from the Latin word capra, meaning 'goat', because chemists found this fatty acid in goat fats and milk and noticed its strong, goaty smell. So today caprylic acid is the name for that fatty acid often linked to that smell and used in foods and perfumes.