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Glite Dictionary
succinic acid

succinic acid

5.2
A natural chemical in living cells that helps make energy
  • noun
  • /səkˈsɪnɪk ˈæsɪd/
  • Specialized
: ácido succínico
  • Succinic acid is a key intermediate in the citric acid cycle, essential for cellular respiration.

Examples

  • Researchers measured levels of succinic acid in the blood to assess metabolic function.

  • Many plants produce succinic acid as part of their metabolic processes.

  • The laboratory synthesized succinic acid from renewable plant sugars.

  • The researcher studied succinic acid in cellular metabolism.

  • Succinic acid is produced naturally during the breakdown of carbohydrates in the body.

  • Many organisms, including humans, utilize succinic acid in various metabolic pathways.

  • The presence of succinic acid was detected in the samples taken from the tissue.

Surface Forms

succinic acid singular
succinic acids plural

Morphology

succinic + acid

This is a straightforward adjective + noun chemical name: combining 'succinic' (pertaining to succinic) with 'acid' yields 'a kind of acid.' Although the precise chemical details are technical, the compositional pattern 'X acid' is transparent and a learner who knows both constituents will understand it denotes a type of acid.

Etymology

Succinic acid gets its name from the old Latin word succinum, which means 'amber', because early chemists made the acid by heating pieces of amber. So the name links the modern chemical to that original source.