The Collaborative International Dictionary
Glycolic \Gly*col"ic\, a. (Chem.) Pertaining to, or derived from, glycol; as, glycolic ether; glycolic acid.
Glycolic acid (Chem.), an organic acid, found naturally in unripe grapes and in the leaves of the wild grape ( Ampelopsis quinquefolia), and produced artificially in many ways, as by the oxidation of glycol, -- whence its name. It is a sirupy, or white crystalline, substance, HO.CH2.CO2H, has the properties both of an alcohol and an acid, and is a type of the hydroxy acids; -- called also hydroxyacetic acid.
Wiktionary
n. (context chemistry English) the simplest alpha-hydroxy acid, hydroxy-acetic acid, found in sugar cane and unripe grapes; used in cosmetics etc
WordNet
n. a translucent crystalline compound found in sugar cane and sugar beets and unripe grapes [syn: glycollic acid, hydroxyacetic acid]
Wikipedia
Glycolic acid (hydroacetic acid or hydroxyacetic acid); chemical formula CHO (also written as HOCHCOH), is the smallest α-hydroxy acid (AHA). This colorless, odorless, and hygroscopic crystalline solid is highly soluble in water. It is used in various skin-care products. Glycolic acid is found in some sugar-crops. A glycolate is a salt or ester of glycolic acid.
Usage examples of "glycolic acid".
But when the body starts to break it down you get glycolic acid, which is terribly destructive.