Adjacent Words

glycerin definitions

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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a sweet syrupy trihydroxy alcohol obtained by saponification of fats and oils [syn: glycerol, glycerin, glycerine]

Merriam Webster's

or glycerine noun Etymology: French glycérine, from Greek glykeros sweet; akin to Greek glykys Date: 1830 glycerol

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Glycerin Glyc"er*in, Glycerine Glyc"er*ine, n. [F. glyc['e]rine, fr. Gr. glykero`s, glyky`s, sweet. Cf. Glucose, Licorice.] (Chem.) An oily, viscous liquid, C3H5(OH)3, colorless and odorless, and with a hot, sweetish taste, existing in the natural fats and oils as the base, combined with various acids, as oleic, margaric, stearic, and palmitic. It is a triatomic alcohol, and hence is also called glycerol. See Note under Gelatin. Note: It is obtained from fats by saponification, or, on a large scale, by the action of superheated steam. It is used as an ointment, as a solvent and vehicle for medicines, and as an adulterant in wine, beer, etc.