(of an organic compound) having aliphatic properties, in spite of the presence of a ring of carbon atoms
Word origin
C19: from German alicyclisch, from ali(phatic) + cyclic
alicyclic in American English
(ˌælɪˈsaɪklɪk)
adjective
Chemistry
of or relating to certain cyclic compounds with carbon atoms in any type of closed chain (excluding the benzene ring), but with properties similar to aliphatic compounds
see also aromatic (sense 2)
Word origin
aliphatic + cyclic: used to translate Ger alizyklisch, of similar formation