What is "linolenic acid"

n. (context fatty acid English) An polyunsaturated fatty acid, having 18 carbon atoms and three double bonds, essential for human nutrition; it is found in linseed and other vegetable oils

n. a liquid polyunsaturated fatty acid that occurs in some plant oils; an essential fatty acid

Linolenic acid is a type of fatty acid. It can refer to either of two octadecatrienoic acids (i.e. with an 18-carbon chain and three double bonds, which are found in the cis configuration), or a mixture of the two. Linolenate (in the form of esters of linolenic acid) is often found in vegetable oils; traditionally, such fatty acylates are reported as the fatty acids:

• α-Linolenic acid, an omega-3 (n-3) fatty acid
• γ-Linolenic acid, an omega-6 (n-6) fatty acid