saponifying

Variant of saponify

saponify definition

sa·poni·fy (sə pän′ə fī′)

transitive verb saponified -·fied′, saponifying -·fy′·ing

to subject to saponification; specif., to convert (a fat) into soap by reaction with an alkali

Etymology: Fr saponifier < L sapo (gen. saponis), soap (< Gmc *saipo- > OE sape, soap) + Fr -fier, -fy

intransitive verb

to undergo conversion to soap

Related Forms:

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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