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Glite Dictionary
hydroxyacetic acid

hydroxyacetic acid

7.0
A mild chemical from sugar cane or grapes used in skin care to remove dead skin
  • noun
  • /haɪˌdrɒksɪˈeɪtɪk ˈæsɪd/
  • Specialized
translation icon : ácido hidroxiacético
  • The skincare product contains hydroxyacetic acid to help exfoliate and brighten the skin.

Examples

  • Researchers extracted hydroxyacetic acid from sugar beets for use in laboratory tests.

  • Due to its small molecular size, hydroxyacetic acid penetrates the skin more effectively than some other acids.

  • The beauty product contains hydroxyacetic acid for exfoliation.

  • Scientists are studying hydroxyacetic acids for their potential benefits.

  • The skincare product contains hydroxyacetic acid to help exfoliate and brighten the skin.

  • Due to its small molecular size, hydroxyacetic acid penetrates the skin more effectively than some other acids.

  • Researchers extracted hydroxyacetic acid from sugar beets for use in laboratory tests.

Synonyms

glycolic acid
vshydroxyacetic acid
  • Specialized
1 5.1

A clear or white acid from sugar plants used in skin care to remove dead skin

is similar but used especially in cosmetics and as a chemical reagent
glycollic acid
vshydroxyacetic acid
  • Specialized
7.5

An acid from plants used in skin care to remove dead skin

is tied more closely to sugar sources and cosmetic plus reagent use

Surface Forms

hydroxyacetic acid singular
hydroxyacetic acids plural

Morphology

hydroxyacetic + acid

The phrase is structurally compositional—'hydroxyacetic' modifies 'acid', so it denotes a specific kind of acid—so the form is not idiomatic. However, the key constituent 'hydroxyacetic' is a specialist morphological blend (hydroxy- + acetic) requiring chemical knowledge and morpheme awareness that most B1 learners lack, making the meaning only partially recoverable from general vocabulary knowledge.

Etymology

Hydroxyacetic acid gets its name from its parts: acetic is the 'vinegar' or sour part and hydroxy is a small 'water' piece added to it. That small change makes the acid tiny enough to get into the skin, so it is used in skincare to gently remove dead skin.