+|te.trə+...- noun
Etymology: ethylenediamine + tetra- + acetic
: a colorless crystalline acid (HOOCCH 2 ) 2 NCH 2 CH 2 N(CH 2 COOH) 2 used especially in the form of its salts (as the tetrasodium salt or the calcium disodium salt) as a chelating and sequestering agent in industry, in chemical analysis, and in pharmacy and medicine (as in the treatment of lead poisoning) — abbr. EDTA