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Affixes

acet(o)-

Acetic acid or the acetyl group.

Latin acetum, vinegar, whose primary constituent is acetic acid.

Acetic acid can be made by fermenting ethyl alcohol using acetobacter bacteria; an intermediate product is acetaldehyde, an important raw material for synthesizing other organic compounds; salts or esters of acetic acid are acetates. The radical CH₃CO— from acetic acid is the acetyl group and aceto‑ can refer to this group, as in acetone, a ketone used as a reagent and solvent; acetanilide, a form of the dyestuff aniline; and acetonitrile, a colourless and poisonous liquid used as a solvent.

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