Phrase guide

sialic acid

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

Any of a group of amino carbohydrates that are substituted forms of neuraminic acid and can be components of glycoproteins and mucoproteins.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: biochemistry, biology, chemistry, microbiology, natural-sciences, organic-chemistry, physical-sciences

Examples

  • 1987, The FASEB Journal, Volume 1, Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, page 231, We have previously shown that the study of O-acetyl esters on the sialic acids is fraught with difficulties.
  • 1997, International Journal of Oncology, Volume 10, Issue 4, Lychnia, page 761, Figure 3. Relationship between the disease-free survival rate and sialic acid expression in 100 breast cancer patients following curative surgery.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

6 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • French: acide sialique — any of a group of amino carbohydrates
  • German: Sialinsäure — any of a group of amino carbohydrates
  • German: Sialsäure — any of a group of amino carbohydrates
  • Italian: acido sialico — any of a group of amino carbohydrates
  • Spanish: ácido siálico — any of a group of amino carbohydrates
  • Swedish: sialinsyra — any of a group of amino carbohydrates