Britannica
Sources used in this answer
How did butyric acid get its common name?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
carboxylic acid
Alcohols may be oxidized to give aldehydes, ketones, and carboxylic acids. The oxidation of organic compounds generally increases the number of bonds from carbon to oxygen, and it may decrease the number of bonds to hydrogen.
Butyric acid derives its common name from the Latin word butyrum, meaning butter.1
This naming reflects the compound's natural occurrence; it is found as a glyceride in butter, making up approximately 3β4 percent of its composition. The characteristic, disagreeable odor associated with rancid butter is specifically caused by the hydrolysis of this butyric acid glyceride. The term itself entered scientific nomenclature via the French butyrique.21