Glyc"er*in, Glyc"er*ine (&?;), n. [F. glycérine, fr. Gr. glykero`s, glyky`s, sweet. Cf. Glucose, Licorice.] (Chem.) An oily, viscous liquid, C₃H₅(OH)₃, colorless and odorless, and with a hot, sweetish taste, existing in the natural fats and oils as the base, combined with various acids, as oleic, margaric, stearic, and palmitic. It is a triatomic alcohol, and hence is also called glycerol. See Note under Gelatin.

&fist; It is obtained from fats by saponification, or, on a large scale, by the action of superheated steam. It is used as an ointment, as a solvent and vehicle for medicines, and as an adulterant in wine, beer, etc.

• the common name for glycerol