Pronunciation: ˌ äk-s ə -l ō - ə - ' s ē -tik-
Variant: also ox · al · ace · tic acid \ ˌ äk-s ə -l ə - ' s ē -tik- \
Function: noun
Etymology: oxal ic + acetic acid
Date: 1896
: a crystalline acid C 4 H 4 O 5 that is formed by reversible oxidation of malic acid (as in carbohydrate metabolism via the Krebs cycle) and in reversible transamination reactions (as from aspartic acid)