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stearin

 - 5 dictionary results

ste⋅a⋅rin

  [stee-uh-rin, steer-in]
Use stearin in a Sentence
–noun
1. Chemistry. any of the three glyceryl esters of stearic acid, esp. C3H5(C1 8H3 5O2)3, a soft, white, odorless solid found in many natural fats.
2. the crude commercial form of stearic acid, used chiefly in the manufacture of candles.
Also, ste⋅a⋅rine  [stee-er-in, -uh-reen, steer-in] .

Origin:
1810–20; < F stéarine < Gk stéar fat, grease + F -ine -ine 2 ; see -in 2
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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ste·a·rin   (stē'ər-ĭn, stîr'ĭn)   
n.  

  1. A colorless, odorless, tasteless ester of glycerol and stearic acid, C3H5(C18H35O2)3, found in most animal and vegetable fats and used in the manufacture of soaps, candles, and adhesives and for textile sizing. Also called tristearin.

  2. The solid form of fat.


[French stéarine : Greek stear, tallow; see stāi- in Indo-European roots + French -ine, -in.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

stearin 
white crystalline compound found in animal and vegetable fats, 1817, from Fr. stéarine, coined by Fr. chemist Marie-Eugène Chevreul (1786-1889) from Gk. stear (gen. steatos) "tallow, fat." Stearic acid (1831) is a partial translation of Fr. acide stéarique.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: stea·rin
Pronunciation: 'stE-&-r&n, 'sti(&)r-&n
Function: noun
1 : an ester of glycerol and stearic acidC3H5(C18H35O2)3 that is a predominant constituent of many hard fats
2 also stea·rine /sameor 'stE-&-"rEn, 'sti(&)r-"En/ : the solid portion of a fat
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Science Dictionary
stearin (stē'ər-ĭn, stîr'ĭn) also stearine   (stē'ər-ĭn, stîr'ĭn)  Pronunciation Key 

  1. A colorless, odorless, tasteless ester of glycerol and stearic acid found in most animal and vegetable fats and used in the manufacture of soaps, candles, metal polishes, and adhesives.Chemical formula: C57H110O6.

  2. The solid form of fat.


The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
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