1-Stop Dictionary Reference

Aliphatic

ahd-5

adjective. Of, relating to, or designating a group of organic chemical compounds in which the carbon atoms are linked in open chains.

The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

Of or pertaining to fat; fatty; specifically, in chem., designating compounds which have only an open chain of carbon atoms, as distinguished especially from aromatic compounds, which contain a ring of carbon atoms, he natural fats consist chiefly of compounds of this type.

the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English

adjective. Of, pertaining to, or derived from, fat; fatty; -- applied to compounds having an open-chain structure. The aliphatic compounds thus include not only the fatty acids and other derivatives of the paraffin hydrocarbons, but also unsaturated compounds, as the ethylene and acetylene series. Compare alicyclic and aromatic.

Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

adjective. Of a class of organic compounds in which the carbon atoms are arranged in an open chain.

noun. A compound of this type.

noun. A petroleum fraction containing no aromatic compounds

WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

adjective. having carbon atoms linked in open chains

Word Usage

"For example, among a class of compounds known as aliphatic esters, ethyl acetate has a fruity, rummy smell."

Antonyms

Words with the opposite meaning

alicyclic aromatic

cross-reference

alicyclic aromatic

Equivalent

acyclic open-chain

Same Context

Words that are found in similar contexts

acyclic biodegradable fatty five-membered long-chain

Synonym

Words with the same meaning

fatty