A glyceryl ester of margaric acid

• A spread made chiefly from vegetable oils and used as a substitute for butter

The Collaborative International Dictionary Word definitions in The Collaborative International Dictionary
Margarin \Mar"ga*rin\, n. [Cf. F. margarine. See Margarite .] (Physiol. Chem.) A fatty substance, extracted from animal fats and certain vegetable oils, formerly supposed to be a definite compound of glycerin and margaric acid, but now known to be simply ...

WordNet Word definitions in WordNet
n. a glyceryl ester of margaric acid [syn: glycerol trimargarate ] a spread made chiefly from vegetable oils and used as a substitute for butter [syn: margarine , oleo , oleomargarine , marge ]

Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary Word definitions in Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
1836, from French margarine , a chemical term given to a fatty substance obtained from animal and vegetable oil, coined by French chemist Michel Eugène Chevreul (1786-1889) in 1813 from (acide) margarique "margaric (acid);" literally "pearly," from Greek ...