uric acid

noun

: a white odorless and tasteless nearly insoluble acid C₅H₄N₄O₃ that is the chief nitrogenous waste present in the urine especially of birds, reptiles, and insects, is present in small quantity in human urine, and occurs pathologically in renal calculi and the tophi of gout

Examples of uric acid in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The white part is actually uric acid, a solid form of urine. —Claire Thornton, USA TODAY, 20 Sep. 2024

Gout is a type of arthritis that occurs when uric acid crystals accumulate in the joints, causing sudden, severe pain. —Sarah Jividen, Verywell Health, 10 Sep. 2024

The filter would keep salt levels low and pull out compounds found in urine like urea, uric acid, ammonia, and calcium. —Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA TODAY, 15 July 2024

They are made up of uric acid, an end product of normal metabolism. —Vincent Iannelli, Parents, 10 July 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1800, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

uric acid

noun

: a white odorless nitrogen-containing acid that is present only in small quantities in the urine of mammals but is the chief form in which nitrogen is eliminated from the body especially of birds, reptiles, and insects

Medical Definition

uric acid

noun

: a white odorless nearly insoluble weak acid C₅H₄N₄O₃ that is present in small quantity in mammalian urine as an end product of purine metabolism, is present abundantly in the form of urates in the excreta of most lower vertebrates and invertebrates as the chief nitrogenous waste, and occurs pathologically in renal calculi and the tophi of gout