† myrrhicadj.
Chemistry. Obsolete.
Of, relating to, or derived from myrrh. Only in myrrhic acid n. a resinous acidic organic substance obtained by heating myrrh.
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1840 J. Pereira Elements Materia Medica II. 1189 Hard resin (myrrhic acid?)—Inodorous, hard, insoluble in ether, soluble in caustic alkalies.
1848 W. T. Brande Man. Chem. (ed. 6) II. 1584 According to Ruickholdt.., the best myrrh contains between 44 and 45 per cent. of resin... By heating it, Ruickholdt obtained a modified resin, which he terms myrrhic acid.
1875 J. Attfield Chem. (ed. 6) 528 Myrrh..contains about half its weight of soluble arabinoid gum, 10 per cent. of insoluble gum (probably bassorin), 2½ of volatile oil, and about 25 per cent. of resin (myrrhic acid).
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2003; most recently modified version published online June 2019).
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adj.1840