Oxalic

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ɒkˈsælɪk/

Definitions

1. A naturally occurring dicarboxylic acid that binds to minerals and is found in some plants, playing a role in calcium dynamics and having potential toxic effects due to crystal formation
2. An organic compound frequently present in certain vegetables, recognized as a toxic agent and dicarboxylic acid, which forms complexes with minerals and can crystallize
3. Pertaining to or derived from a dicarboxylic acid notable for binding minerals and occurring in various plants

Etymology: The name leads back to a humble plant. "Oxalis" is the Greek-derived genus name for the sorrels, and its sour leaves gave the acid its identity: the French chemist-naming tradition formed "oxalique" from that genus, and English borrowed the word from French. The acid was first obtained from wood sorrel, which is why a sour-tasting garden plant lent its name to a chemical compound. The adjective describes the acid itself, as in "oxalic acid," the compound that crystallises readily with minerals and that appears in spinach, rhubarb and similar plants. Its connection to the sorrel is the whole basis of the name, so the word preserves a direct trace of the plant's sharp taste in a laboratory term.