esterify

E1S1T1E1R1I1F4Y4

verb

To combine with an alcohol or (of an alcohol) to combine with an acid, to form an ester.

OriginProto-Italic *θakos ← Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁- ← English ester →
Scrabble 14
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Meanings

verbesterify (third-person singular simple present esterifies, present participle esterifying, simple past and past participle esterified)

present singular third person esterifies · participle present esterifying · participle past esterified · past esterified

  1. chemistryTo combine with an alcohol or (of an alcohol) to combine with an acid, to form an ester.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*h₂eḱ-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*h₂eḱéh₁yeti
  3. Proto-Italic*akēō
  4. Latinaceō
  5. Latinacēscō
  6. Latinacētum
  7. Proto-West Germanic*aket
  8. Proto-West Germanic*atek
  9. Old High Germaneȥȥih
  10. Middle High Germaneȥȥich
  11. GermanEssich
  12. GermanEssig
  13. Proto-Indo-European*h₂eydʰ-
  14. Proto-Hellenic*áitʰō
  15. Ancient Greekαἴθω (aíthō)
  16. Ancient Greekᾱ̓ήρ (āḗr)influ.?
  17. Ancient Greekαἰθήρ (aithḗr)
  18. Latinaethēr
  19. GermanÄther
  20. GermanEster
  21. Englishester
  22. Proto-Indo-European*dʰeh₁-
  23. Proto-Italic*θakos
  24. Englishesterify

From ester + -ify.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan esterificar
  • esterificarTranslations
Chinese Cantonese 酯化
  • 酯化 (zi² faa³)Translations
Chinese Mandarin 酯化
  • 酯化 (zhǐhuà)Translations
Dutch veresteren
  • veresterenTranslations
French estérifier
  • estérifierTranslations
Italian esterificare
  • esterificareTranslations
Romanian a esterifica
  • a esterificaTranslations
Spanish esterificar
  • esterificarTranslations
Welsh esteru
  • esteruTranslations
Cite this entry
APA

esterify. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/esterify

MLA

“esterify.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/esterify. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “esterify,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/esterify.

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