marga

a. [ Cf. F. margarique. See Margarite. ] Pertaining to, or resembling, pearl; pearly. [ 1913 Webster ]

Margaric acid. (a) (Physiol. Chem.) A fatty body, crystallizing in pearly scales, and obtained by digesting saponified fats (soaps) with an acid. It was formerly supposed to be an individual fatty acid, but is now known to be simply an intimate mixture of stearic and palmitic acids. (b) (Chem.) A white, crystalline substance, C17H34O2 of the fatty acid series, intermediate between palmitic and stearic acids, and obtained from the wax of certain lichens, from cetyl cyanide, and other sources. Called also heptadecanoic acid. [ 1913 Webster ]

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 a mixture or combination of tristearin and tripalmitin. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F.; see margarin. ] 1. A processed food product used as an inexpensive substitute for butter, made primarily from refined vegetable oils, sometimes including animal fats, and churned with skim milk to form a semisolid emulsion; also called oleomargarine; artificial butter. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC ]

The word margarine shall mean all substances, whether compounds or otherwise, prepared in imitation of butter, and whether mixed with butter or not. Margarine Act, 1887 (50 & 51 Vict. c. 29). [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

2. Margarin. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

a. Pertaining to, or resembling, pearl; pearly. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. margarita, Gr. &unr_; a pearl; cf. F. marguerite. ] 1. A pearl. [ Obs. ] Peacham. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Min.) A mineral related to the micas, but low in silica and yielding brittle folia with pearly luster. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. F. margaritique. ] (Physiol. Chem.) Margaric. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. margaritifer; margarita pearl + ferre to bear: cf. F. margaritifère. ] Producing pearls. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_; pearl-like. ] (Min.) A hidrous potash mica related to muscovite. [ 1913 Webster ]