Definition

Noun: A nonvolatile oil derived from an animal or plant source. Unlike volatile or essential oils, a fixed oil does not evaporate readily at normal temperatures. It is typically obtained by pressing or extracting seeds, nuts, or flesh, and is often used in food, cosmetics, and industrial applications.

Usage

The term "fixed oil" is used to categorize and describe oils based on their physical property of low volatility. It is a technical term common in chemistry, pharmacology, and botany. - It is often contrasted with "essential oil" or "volatile oil." - It can function as a countable noun (e.g., several fixed oils) or an uncountable noun when referring to the substance in general.

Examples

• As a countable noun:
  • Olive oil and coconut oil are common fixed oils used in cooking.
  • The study compared the fatty acid composition of different fixed oils.
• As an uncountable noun (concept):
  • The substance was identified as fixed oil rather than a resin.
  • Traditional extraction methods are used to obtain fixed oil from the seeds.

Advanced Usage

• In a technical or scientific context, "fixed oil" specifies the material's stability and composition, distinguishing it from more aromatic, evaporative compounds.
  • The pharmacopoeia lists the specifications for the fixed oil derived from Ricinus communis seeds.

Variants and Related Words

• Fatty oil: A common synonym for fixed oil, emphasizing its composition of fatty acids.
• Nonvolatile oil: A descriptive term highlighting the key defining property.
• Carrier oil: In aromatherapy and cosmetics, many fixed oils are used as carrier oils to dilute essential oils.

Synonyms

• Fatty oil
• Nonvolatile oil
• Base oil (in specific contexts like cosmetics)

Antonyms

• Essential oil
• Volatile oil

Related Phrases/Compounds

• Expressed oil: A type of fixed oil obtained by mechanical pressing.
• Vegetable fixed oil: Specifies the plant origin of the oil.

Noun

1. nonvolatile animal or plant oil