{Glycolic acid} (Chem.), an organic acid, found naturally in
unripe grapes and in the leaves of the wild grape
({Ampelopsis quinquefolia}), and produced artificially in
many ways, as by the oxidation of glycol, -- whence its
name. It is a sirupy, or white crystalline, substance,
{HO.CH2.CO2H}, has the properties both of an alcohol and
an acid, and is a type of the hydroxy acids; -- called
also {hydroxyacetic acid}.