Salicylate
/ˈsæl.ɪ.sɪ.leɪt/noun
A salt or ester of salicylic acid, used in medicines and related compounds.
Did you know?Salicylate ultimately traces back to Latin *salix*, meaning “willow,” because willow bark was the ancient source of salicylic acid long before modern chemistry isolated it.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
salix
“willow tree”
18th Century
French/Latin
salicine
“a bitter crystalline substance obtained from willow bark”
19th Century
French
salicyle
“related to salicylic acid”
19th Century
English
salicylic acid
“the acid isolated from willow-derived compounds”
Modern English
English
salicylate
“a salt or ester of salicylic acid”