ricinoleic acid

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)

ricinoleic acid
    n 1: an oily fatty acid found in castor oil and used in soap

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

ricinoleic acid \ric`in*o"le*ic ac"id\, n. (Chem.)
   An organic acid ({C18H34O3}) obtained from the castor-oil
   plant ({Ricinus communis}, or {Palma Christi}) and other
   species of the family {Euphorbiaceae}; chemicaly it is
   d-12-hydroxyoleic acid
   ({CH3(CH2)5.CH(OH).CH2.CH=CH.(CH2)7COOH}). Formerly called
   {palmic acid}.
   [1913 Webster +PJC]