BHA

B3H4A1

A form of butylated hydroxyanisole — Either of two isomers of tertiary butyl-4-hydroxyanisole used as a fat-soluble antioxidant in some food.

Less commonScrabble 8

Meanings

nounBHA (uncountable)
  1. abbreviationinitialismuncountablechemistryInitialism of butylated hydroxyanisole.

    Among the effective agents, studies in animals and people indicate, are the preservatives BHA and BHT, which are commonly added to cereals and baked goods, and a group of chemicals naturally present in such vegetables as cabbage, Brussels sprouts and broccoli.

    1979 March 6, Jane E. Brody, “Cancer‐Blocking Agents Found in Foods”, in The New York Times
    1 more example

    Although BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole) and BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene) are avoided by some consumers because several studies have suggested they may be toxic or carcinogenic (they are banned in Britain), these antioxidants have also been shown to inhibit the action of cancer-causing chemicals, and BHT has been shown to suppress the growth of harmful viruses.

    1985 May 1, Jane E. Brody, “PERSONAL HEALTH; HOW INNOVATIONS AFFECT SAFETY AND NUTRITION”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 28 Nov 2017
proper noun
  1. abbreviationinitialismball gamesInitialism of Brighton & Hove Albion.

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

Cite this entry
APA

BHA. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/BHA

MLA

“BHA.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/BHA. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “BHA,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/BHA.

Source: BHA on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.