acetoacetic acid
1
7.4
- noun
- /əˌsiːtoʊəˈsɛtɪk ˈæsɪd/
- Specialized
- Abnormally high levels of acetoacetic acid can be a sign of uncontrolled diabetes.
Examples
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Ketosis is characterized by elevated concentrations of acetoacetic acid in the bloodstream.
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The laboratory test detected the presence of acetoacetic acid in the patient’s urine sample.
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The presence of acetoacetic acid in the urine can indicate diabetes.
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Doctors test for acetoacetic acid levels during metabolic assessments.
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Abnormally high levels of acetoacetic acid can be a sign of uncontrolled diabetes.
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Ketosis is characterized by elevated concentrations of acetoacetic acid in the bloodstream.
-
The laboratory test detected the presence of acetoacetic acid in the patient’s urine sample.
Synonyms
1
9.4
A chemical made when the body breaks down fat that shows the body is using fat for energy
Surface Forms
Morphology
acetoacetic + acid
The compound contains the technical element 'acetoacetic', which is a specialized chemical/neo-classical formation not transparently interpretable by a B1 learner, and the general word 'acid' only indicates it is an acid. The specific metabolic sense (an unstable organic acid found in pathological conditions) cannot be predicted from the surface parts, so the expression is effectively idiomatic/technical and opaque to typical learners.
Etymology
Acetoacetic acid comes from its word parts: aceto- (from an old Latin word for 'vinegar', used for acetic acid), plus acetic and acid. So the name simply says it is an acid related to acetic (vinegar-like) substances, which helps you remember it is the acid sometimes found in the blood or urine in conditions like diabetes.