saponify

Definition of Saponify in English :

1. saponify

become converted into soap by being hydrolized into an acid and alcohol as a result of being treated with an alkali

Example Sentences:
'the oil saponified'

2. saponify

convert into soap by hydrolizing an ester into an acid and alcohol as a result of treating it with an alkali

Example Sentences:
'saponify oils and fats'

WordNet Lexical Database for English. Princeton University. 2010.

Saponify

verb -fies, -fying or -fied chemistry

1.

to undergo or cause to undergo a process in which a fat is converted into a soap by treatment with alkali

2.

to undergo or cause to undergo a reaction in which an ester is hydrolysed to an acid and an alcohol as a result of treatment with an alkali

verb transitiveWord forms: saˈponiˌfied or saˈponiˌfying

1.

to subject to saponification; specif., to convert (a fat) into soap by reaction with an alkali

verb intransitive

2.

to undergo conversion to soap

v. sa·pon·i·fied, sa·pon·i·fy·ing, sa·pon·i·fies

v.tr.

1. To convert (an ester) by saponification.

2. To convert (a fat or oil) into soap.

v.intr.

To undergo saponification.