kainic acid

noun

A heterocyclic dicarboxylic acid isolated from certain red algae; used as an anthelmintic in Japan.

Meanings

nounkainic acid (uncountable)
  1. uncountablebiochemistryA heterocyclic dicarboxylic acid isolated from certain red algae; used as an anthelmintic in Japan.

Origin

  1. Japanese海人草
  2. Englishkainic acid

Borrowed from Japanese 海人草 (kainin-sou).

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

kainic acid. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/kainic%20acid

MLA

“kainic acid.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/kainic%20acid. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “kainic acid,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/kainic%20acid.

Source: kainic acid on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.