Wiktionary
n. an polyunsaturated fatty acid, having 18 carbon atoms and two double bonds, essential for human nutrition; it is found in linseed, sunflower and other vegetable oils
WordNet
n. a liquid polyunsaturated fatty acid abundant in plant fats and oils; a fatty acid essential for nutrition; used to make soap [syn: linolic acid]
Wikipedia
Linoleic acid (LA) is a polyunsaturated omega-6 fatty acid. It is a colorless liquid at room temperature. In physiological literature, it has a lipid number of 18:2 cis,cis-9,12. Linoleic acid is a carboxylic acid with an 18-carbon chain and two cis double bonds; with the first double bond located at the sixth carbon from the methyl end.
Linoleic acid belongs to one of the two families of essential fatty acids, which means that the human body cannot synthesize it from other food components.
The word "linoleic" derived from the Greek word linon ( flax). Oleic means "of, relating to, or derived from oil of olive" or "of or relating to oleic acid" because saturating the omega-6 double bond produces oleic acid.
Usage examples of "linoleic acid".
The oil pressed from hempseed contains 55% linoleic acid (LA) and 25% llinolenic acid (LNA).
It also contains palmitin, stearin and myristin, with glyceride of linoleic acid.