fatty acid

fatty acid   n.  Any of a large group of monobasic acids, especially those found in animal and vegetable fats and oils, having the general formula CnH2n+1COOH. Characteristically made up of saturated or unsaturated aliphatic compounds with an even number of carbon atoms, this group of acids includes palmitic, stearic, and oleic acids.

Main Entry: fatty acid
Function: noun
1 : any of numerous saturated aliphatic acids C_nH_2n+1COOH (aslauric acid) containing a single carboxyl group and including many that occur naturally usually in the form of esters in fats, waxes, and essential oils
2 : any of the saturated orunsaturated organic acids (as palmitic acid) that have a single carboxyl group and usually an even number of carbon atoms and that occur naturally in the form of glycerides in fats and fatty oils

fatty acid n.
Any of a large group of long-chain monobasic organic acids hydrolytically derived from fats.