sorbic
- adjective
- /ˈsɔrbɪk/
- Specialized
- The natural sorbic extracts from the rowan tree are often used in herbal remedies.
- sorbic acid
Examples
-
The sorbic compounds derived from rowan trees have been used for centuries in traditional medicine.
-
Occasionally, sorbic acid, which can also act as an irritant, may be present as a preservative in glove powder (22).
Academic text (1998) -
Its inside consists of table sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, water, corn flour, and sorbic acid, an anti-mold agent.
Academic text (2000) -
Sorbic acid is commonly added to many food products to prevent spoilage.
Compounds
Surface Forms
Morphology
sorbic = sorb (semi-transparent) = sorb + ic
The connection to 'sorb' is clear, but the specific meaning related to 'sorbic acid' is specialized.
Etymology
Sorbic comes from the Latin word sorbus, the name for the 'rowan' tree, because sorbic acid was first found in the fruit of that tree. So sorbic means 'from the rowan' or 'relating to sorbic acid', which is why the word is used for the acid and things made from it.