Pronunciation: ˌ pr ō -p ē - ' ä-nik-
Function: noun
Etymology: International Scientific Vocabulary 1 pro- + Greek pi ō n fat; akin to Sanskrit p ī van swelling, fat
Date: 1850
: a liquid sharp-odored fatty acid C 3 H 6 O 2 found in milk and distillates of wood, coal, and petroleum and used especially as a mold inhibitor and flavoring agent