glycolic acid

2 definitions found

glycolic acid - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Glycolic \Gly*col"ic\, a. (Chem.)
     Pertaining to, or derived from, glycol; as, glycolic ether;
     glycolic acid.
     [1913 Webster]
  
     Glycolic acid (Chem.), an organic acid, found naturally in
        unripe grapes and in the leaves of the wild grape
        (Ampelopsis quinquefolia), and produced artificially in
        many ways, as by the oxidation of glycol, -- whence its
        name. It is a sirupy, or white crystalline, substance,
        HO.CH2.CO2H, has the properties both of an alcohol and
        an acid, and is a type of the hydroxy acids; -- called
        also hydroxyacetic acid.
        [1913 Webster]

glycolic acid - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  glycolic acid
      n 1: a translucent crystalline compound found in sugar cane and
           sugar beets and unripe grapes [syn: glycolic acid,
           glycollic acid, hydroxyacetic acid]