Fumaric

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. A dicarboxylic acid used primarily in food and beverage applications as a flavoring and acidity regulator; a substance in organic chemistry involved in various biochemical processes; an organic compound that can also serve as a precursor in the synthesis of other chemicals
2. A compound that consists of two carboxylic acid groups and is recognized for its role in enhancing the taste of certain foods; a chemical that participates in metabolic pathways within living organisms; an intermediate used in the manufacture of resins and polymers
3. A type of acid that can be naturally found or synthesized for practical uses in cooking and food preservation; a participant in vital chemical reactions within cells; a compound important in creating synthetic materials and coatings

Etymology: Fumaric acid takes its name from the plant fumitory, a low-growing weed of the poppy family whose Latin name, "fumus terrae," means "smoke of the earth." The chemical was first isolated from fumitory, and the name follows the plant rather than any property of the acid itself. The plant's name in turn comes from the old idea that its scent or sap rose like smoke from the soil, a belief that gave the weed its common English name. Because the word is a chemical name derived from a plant, "fumaric" functions as an adjective only in phrases like "fumaric acid," where it names the compound. The surprising link is that a common kitchen additive, used to sour foods and drinks, is named after a weed that was once thought to be smoke made visible.