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Glite Dictionary
hexanoic acid

hexanoic acid

7.9
A fatty acid with six carbon atoms that has a strong smell like goat milk
  • noun
  • /ˌhɛksəˈnoʊɪk ˈæsɪd/
  • Specialized
translation icon : ácido hexanoico
  • Hexanoic acid is commonly found in the fat of goat's milk, contributing to its distinctive smell.

Examples

  • Chemists can synthesize hexanoic acid in the laboratory for use in various industries.

  • The strong odor of hexanoic acid is often described as similar to that of goats.

  • The strong smell of hexanoic acid is often compared to that of goats.

  • Can you identify the source of hexanoic acid in this sample?

  • Hexanoic acid is commonly found in the fat of goat's milk, contributing to its distinctive smell.

  • The strong odor of hexanoic acid is often described as similar to that of goats.

  • Chemists can synthesize hexanoic acid in the laboratory for use in various industries.

Synonyms

caproic acid
vshexanoic acid
  • Specialized
8.4

An acid in animal fats with a strong goat-like smell used in flavors and industry

focuses on the chemical as a six carbon saturated acid and its pungent odor

Surface Forms

hexanoic acid singular
hexanoic acids plural

Morphology

hexanoic + acid

The compound is built from a technical chemical name plus 'acid', so its core meaning (an acid related to a six-carbon chain) is compositionally derivable if the learner recognises the chemical morphemes (hex- / -anoic). However, this requires domain-specific morphological knowledge of systematic chemical nomenclature that most B1 learners will not have, so the relation is only partially accessible.

Etymology

Hexanoic acid comes from the part hex meaning 'six' because the molecule has six carbon atoms, and from acid, which tells you it is an acid. It was also called 'caproic acid' from a word for 'goat' because it smells like goats, so the name links both its six-carbon structure and its strong, goat-like odor.