myristic acid
1
6.5
- noun
- /mɪˈrɪstɪk ˈæsɪd/
- Specialized
- The chemical structure of myristic acid is quite complex.
Examples
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Coconut oil is a rich source of myristic acid, along with other fatty acids.
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Some cosmetics use myristic acid for its moisturizing properties.
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Researchers analyzed the content of myristic acid in various edible oils.
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Many cosmetics contain myristic acid for its moisturizing properties.
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Myristic acid is a saturated fatty acid commonly found in myristic acid oil and coconuts.
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Researchers study myristic acid for its potential health benefits in animal fats.
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You can find myristic acid in various food sources, particularly in some nuts and dairy products.
Synonyms
A fatty acid found naturally in animal and plant fats like coconut oil
Surface Forms
Morphology
The term is compositionally built: 'myristic' identifies a particular fatty-acid type and 'acid' signals it is an acid, so a learner who knows both constituents can infer it is the acid of the myristic family (a specific saturated fatty acid). This adjectival + noun scientific naming pattern is regular and cross-linguistically common, making the meaning predictable from the parts.
Etymology
Myristic acid gets its name from the old Latin word 'Myristica', the name for the nutmeg tree, because the acid was first found in nutmeg oil. So the name is a simple memory: this fatty acid is linked to nutmeg and to similar oils and fats.