Stearic acid

Updated: February 6th, 2010 |

stearic acid: A colorless, wax like, sparingly water-soluble, odorless solid, C_{1 8}H_{3 6}O₂, the most common fatty acid, occurring as the glyceride in tallow and other animal fats and in some animal oils: used chiefly in the manufacture of soaps, stearates, candles, cosmetics, and in medicine in suppositories and pill coatings.