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Glite Dictionary
dicarboxylic acid

dicarboxylic acid

1 7.0
A chemical with two acid groups called carboxyl groups
  • noun
  • /ˌdaɪkɑrˈbɑksɪlɪk ˈæsɪd/
  • Specialized
: ácido dicarboxílico
  • The chemist studied dicarboxylic acid in detail.

Examples

  • The synthesis of nylon involves the use of a dicarboxylic acid as a key reactant.

  • Many dicarboxylic acids are used in food preservation.

  • One common dicarboxylic acid used in chemistry is oxalic acid.

  • Phthalic acid is an aromatic dicarboxylic acid important in industrial applications.

  • Many polymers are made from dicarboxylic acids, which provide essential chemical properties for industrial applications.

  • The chemist synthesized a new type of dicarboxylic acid that showed promise in creating biodegradable plastics.

  • Dicarboxylic acids are commonly used in the production of adhesives and sealants due to their reactivity.

Surface Forms

dicarboxylic acid singular
dicarboxylic acids plural

Morphology

dicarboxylic + acid

The term is fully compositional: 'di-' (=two) + 'carboxylic' (having carboxyl groups) + 'acid' (a substance with acidic groups) directly yields 'an acid with two carboxyl groups.' Although it's technical, the morphological pieces transparently indicate the meaning and similar chemistry terms exist across languages, so a learner who knows the constituent parts can infer the definition.

Etymology

Dicarboxylic acid literally names a molecule with two acid parts. The start di- means 'two' and carboxylic acid points to the acid 'groups', so the name tells you the molecule has 'two' acid groups.