saponify

verb

sa·pon·i·fy sə-ˈpä-nə-ˌfī

saponified; saponifying

transitive verb

: to convert (something, such as fat) into soap

specifically : to hydrolyze (a fat) with alkali to form a soap and glycerol

intransitive verb

: to undergo saponifying

saponifiable

sə-ˈpä-nə-ˌfī-ə-bəl

adjective

saponifier

sə-ˈpä-nə-ˌfī(-ə)r

noun

Examples of saponify in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

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Although rare to find, cerebral tissues found in archaeological discoveries have saponified, the process by which triglycerides turn into glycerol and fatty acid salts, or soap. —

Fox News, 24 Jan. 2020 Beauty products include deodorant cream made with local California sagebrush and arrowroot, as well as the cleansing version of your favorite latte: a golden milk soap saponified with raw goat milk, turmeric, cinnamon, black pepper, and ginger. —

Dakota Kim, Sunset Magazine, 10 Feb. 2020 Made out of a formula that was discovered loosely placed in an old New England Cookbook, this all-natural shampoo bar is made of just three ingredients: saponified olive oil, coconut oil, and castor oil. —

Popular Science, 29 Jan. 2020