lactone

noun

lac·​tone ˈlak-ˌtōn How to pronounce lactone (audio)
: any of various cyclic esters formed from hydroxy acids
lactonic adjective

Examples of lactone in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Within 48 hours of their stroke, they were treated with either ginkgo diterpene lactone meglumine (GDLM) or a placebo for 14 days.2 What Is an Ischemic Stroke? Nick Blackmer, Verywell Health, 16 Feb. 2024 Hookworm is typically treated with one of three classes of antiparasitic drugs: benzimidazoles, macrocyclic lactones or tetrahydropyrimidines. Bradley Van Paridon, Scientific American, 1 June 2023 In other words, the oak lactones flee from the growing amount of water and have less and less surface area from which to contribute to the aroma. Caroline Delbert, Popular Mechanics, 6 May 2023 The semi-synthetic drug is classified as a macrocyclic lactone, a molecule made up of a ring of mostly carbon and oxygen atoms. Miriam Fauzia, USA TODAY, 12 Oct. 2021 Another clean fragrance brand, St. Rose, imbues its creations with a macrocyclic synthetic musk called juniper lactone to lend scents like St. Rose’s Desert Nomad an earthy bounce. ELLE, 30 Apr. 2022 Ivermectin was developed by Merck in the 1970s, decades before molnupiravir, and is classified as a macrocyclic lactone. Miriam Fauzia, USA TODAY, 12 Oct. 2021 The company was able to biosynthesize the musk fragrance compounds by leveraging its lactone production technology with its lipid platform. John Cumbers, Forbes, 12 May 2021 Those similar substances include flavonoids, a group of plant metabolites that have antioxidant effects, and sesquiterpene lactones, a class of chemical compounds that are known to have anti-inflammatory properties, Merville said. Scott Cacciola, New York Times, 4 May 2016

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lactone.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary

First Known Use

1880, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lactone was in 1880

Dictionary Entries Near lactone

Cite this Entry

“Lactone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lactone. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Medical Definition

lactone

noun
lac·​tone ˈlak-ˌtōn How to pronounce lactone (audio)
: any of various cyclic esters formed from hydroxy acids compare lactam, sultone
lactonic adjective

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