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al·i·phat·ic

(ăl′ə-fătĭk)

adj.

Of, relating to, or designating a group of organic chemical compounds in which the carbon atoms are linked in open chains.

[From Greek aleiphar, aleiphat-, oil, from aleiphein, to anoint with oil; see leip- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

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aliphatic

straight chain of carbon atoms of a propane molecule

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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