ESTER
What does "ESTER" mean?
An organic compound formed from an acid and an alcohol, often fragrant.
Meanings
- A compound made by reacting an acid with an alcohol, releasing water; many give fruits their smell. The banana scent comes from an ester called isoamyl acetate. technical
Did you know?
- Many fruit smells are esters: the same molecule that gives artificial banana its flavor, isoamyl acetate, is also part of the alarm scent honeybees release when they sting.
Word origin
Coined in German in the 19th century, apparently contracted from 'Essigaether' ('acetic ether'), itself from 'Essig' (vinegar) plus 'Aether' (ether).
Remember it
An ESTER is an acid + alcohol that lost some WATER - hidden in the word is the recipe: acid and alcohol, water gone.
A little poem
Acid weds alcohol-
one drop of water leaves the room,
and the orchard opens.
haiku
Wordplay
- Why does an ester always smell like fruit at parties? It's an acid and an alcohol that lost the water and kept the sweetness.
What it teaches
Take an acid and an alcohol, lose a little water between them, and you get the smell of summer fruit - chemistry hides its poetry in the leftovers.
Quick facts
What does ESTER mean?
An organic compound formed from an acid and an alcohol, often fragrant.
Is ESTER a valid word?
Yes — ESTER is one of the answer words in Wordul, the daily word game.
How many letters is ESTER?
ESTER has 5 letters and 2 syllables.
Where does ESTER come from?
Coined in German in the 19th century, apparently contracted from 'Essigaether' ('acetic ether'), itself from 'Essig' (vinegar) plus 'Aether' (ether).
What can ESTER teach us?
Take an acid and an alcohol, lose a little water between them, and you get the smell of summer fruit - chemistry hides its poetry in the leftovers.
How players do
Be the first to solve it.