Etymology

palmitic acid

Today it means: One of the most common saturated fatty acids; it is found in all animal and most vegetable oils and fats; it is used in the manufacture of soap etc. Full definition →

French palmite ← Latin palma
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The story

  1. Latin · derived frompalma“palm tree”
  2. French · derived frompalmite“pith of the palm tree”
  3. English todaypalmitic acid

From being an acid discovered in saponified palm oils. From French palmite (“pith of the palm tree”) + -ic. From Latin palma (“palm tree”).

Words from the same roots

Latinpalma all →

palmpalmettopalma Christi

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.