from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Stearin \Ste"a*rin\ (st[=e]"[.a]*r[i^]n), n. [Gr. ste`ar tallow,
suet: cf. F. st['e]arine.] (Physiol. Chem.)
One of the constituents of animal fats and also of some
vegetable fats, as the butter of cacao. It is especially
characterized by its solidity, so that when present in
considerable quantity it materially increases the hardness,
or raises the melting point, of the fat, as in mutton tallow.
Chemically, it is a compound of glyceryl with three molecules
of stearic acid, and hence is technically called tristearin,
or glyceryl tristearate.
[1913 Webster]