a colourless oily liquid unsaturated acid occurring, as the glyceride, in almost all natural fats used in making soaps, ointments, cosmetics, and lubricating oils. Formula: CH3(CH2)7CH:CH(CH2)7COOH
Systematic name: cis-9-octadecenoic acid
Word origin
C19 oleic, from Latin oleum oil + -ic
oleic acid in American English
an oily, unsaturated fatty acid, C17H33COOH, present in the form of the glyceryl ester in most animal and vegetable fats and oils, used in making soap, ointments, etc.