Meanings
- uncountablechemistryAn omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), having 20 carbon atoms and 5 cis double bonds, that acts as a precursor for prostaglandin-3, thromboxane-3, and leukotriene-5 eicosanoids
Synonyms: EPA, icosapentaenoic acid, timnodonic acid, 20:5
Synonyms & antonyms
nounAn omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), having 20 carbon atoms and 5 cis double bonds, that acts as a precursor for prostaglandin-3, thromboxane-3, and leukotriene-5 eicosanoids
Origin
From eicosa- + penta- + -ene + -oic acid.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Finnish eikosapentaeenihappo
- eikosapentaeenihappofatty acid
Italian acido eicosapentaenoico
- acido eicosapentaenoicofatty acid
Japanese エイコサペンタエン酸
- エイコサペンタエン酸 (eikosapentaen san)fatty acid
Cite this entry
eicosapentaenoic acid. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/eicosapentaenoic%20acid
“eicosapentaenoic acid.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/eicosapentaenoic%20acid. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “eicosapentaenoic acid,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/eicosapentaenoic%20acid.
Source: eicosapentaenoic acid on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.