tannic acid

[ tan-ik as-id ]

nounChemistry.
  1. a form of tannin with weak acidity, used commercially in dyes and wood stains; corrosion inhibitors; certain antihistamine, antitussive, and antidiarrhea medications; and especially wine, beer, and other beverages that benefit from its clarifying and aroma-enhancing properties: Aleppo galls are among the principal sources of tannic acid.

Origin of tannic acid

1
First recorded in 1830–40

Words Nearby tannic acid

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Scientific definitions for tannic acid

tannic acid

[ tănĭk ]


  1. A lustrous, yellow-brown, amorphous substance, having the approximate chemical composition C76H52O46. It is derived from the bark and fruit of many plants and is used in tanning leather, in fixing dyes to materials, and in clarifying wine and beer.

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