meta-acidn.
/ˈmɛtəˌasɪd/, U.S. /ˈmɛdəˌæsəd/ Chemistry. Now rare.
1. The least hydrated of a series of oxoacids formed from the same anhydride.
ΚΠ
1833 T. Graham in Philos. Trans. (Royal Soc.) 123 281 A large quantity of the meta-acid passes into phosphoric acid on uniting with the alkali.
1892 M. M. P. Muir & H. F. Morley Watts' Dict. Chem. Meta-acids and meta-salts.
1922 T. M. Lowry Inorg. Chem. xxxvi. 711 The meta-acid, HSbO2, is only known in the form of its salts.
1938 R. Hum Chem. for Engin. Students xxiv. 678 The antimonites, such as NaSbO2, are derived from the meta-acid (H3SbO3—H2O), which has, itself, not been obtained free.
1950 N. V. Sidgwick Chem. Elements I. 744 On further heating it loses water, giving first..the pyro-acid and then the meta-acid.
2. Now usually with meta italicized. The meta isomer of a disubstituted aromatic acid.
ΚΠ
1904 Proc. Royal Soc. 73 165 The meta-acid [sc. meta-amino-benzoic acid] rapidly oxidises in contact with platinum electrodes.
1929 Science 31 May 560/1 In the case of the meta acid the products were the 4-nitro ester.., a trinitro derivative and unidentified substances.
1980 Science 14 Mar. 1203/1 Both meta acids are far more abundant than their isomers.
This is a new entry (OED Third Edition, December 2001; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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