ketone

noun

ke·​tone ˈkē-ˌtōn How to pronounce ketone (audio)
: any of a class of organic compounds (such as acetone) characterized by a carbonyl group attached to two carbon atoms
ketonic
kē-ˈtä-nik How to pronounce ketone (audio)
adjective

Examples of ketone in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In this state, the liver converts fats into ketones, which the brain uses as an alternate fuel source to the glucose that would ordinarily come from the breakdown of carbs. — New Atlas, 4 Mar. 2025 Types of keto supplements vary widely, including vitamins and minerals and exogenous ketones. — Brittany Lubeck, Ms, Rdn, Verywell Health, 25 Feb. 2025 Ketosis is a metabolic state in which fat is broken down by the liver and turned into ketones. — Angelica Bottaro, Verywell Health, 15 Oct. 2024 When this occurs, the body uses fats for energy and produces ketones. — Heidi Cope, Health, 23 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for ketone

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from German Keton, coinage based on Aceton acetone

Note: The German term Keton was apparently the coinage of the chemist Leopold Gmelin (1788-1853), who introduced it in Handbuch der organischen Chemie, 1. Band, 4. Auflage (Heidelberg, 1848), p. 40 passim. Gmelin characterized ketones as "Acetone im allgemeinen" ("acetones in general"), acetone being the smallest and simplest ketone.

First Known Use

1851, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ketone was in 1851

Phrases Containing ketone

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Cite this Entry

“Ketone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ketone. Accessed 20 Mar. 2025.

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Medical Definition

ketone

noun
ke·​tone ˈkē-ˌtōn How to pronounce ketone (audio)
: an organic compound (as acetone) with a carbonyl group attached to two carbon atoms

More from Merriam-Webster on ketone

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about ketone

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