Folic acid is one of the B group of vitamins. It is found in green vegetables and fruit.
folic acid in British English
(ˈfəʊlɪk, ˈfɒl-)
noun
any of a group of vitamins of the B complex, including pteroylglutamic acid and its derivatives: used in the treatment of megaloblastic anaemia
Also called: folacin
Word origin
C20: from Latin folium leaf; so called because it may be obtained from green leaves
folic acid in British English
any of a group of vitamins of the B complex
See full dictionary entry for folic
folic acid in American English
(ˈfoʊlɪk)
a crystalline substance, C19H19N7O6, found in green leaves and in certain other plant and animal tissues, exhibiting vitamin B activity: used in medicine, esp. for treating certain anemias
Word origin
< L folium, a leaf (see foliate) + -ic
Examples of 'folic acid' in a sentence
folic acid
You can get all the folic acid and calcium you need from leafy green vegetables.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Iron and folic acid supplements are frequently given to pregnant women without testing if they are needed.
Holford, Patrick The Family Nutrition Workbook (1988)
Also, take a folic acid supplement.
The Sun (2012)
Again, diet alone is unlikely to supply sufficient folic acid.
Kowalski, Robert E The 8-Week Cholesterol Cure (1990)
That compared to just 40 per cent in a similar group who took only a folic acid supplement.
The Sun (2011)
Research shows that 94 per cent of women take folic acid at the wrong time and in the wrong dose.