The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
carboxyl group \car*box"yl group`\ (k[aum]r*b[o^]ks"[i^]l
gr[=oo]p), n. (Chem.)
a monovalent organic radical (written -COOH, -CO2H or
-CO.OH) whose presence confers acidic properties on the
compound containing it; -- called also carboxylic group.
Monocarboxylic acids (such as acetic acid or butyric acid)
have one carboxyl group, dicarboxylic acids (such as oxalic
acid or malonic acid) have two, tricarboxylic acids (such as
citric acid) have three. It is weakly acidic, the pKa of
acetic acid being 4.75.
[PJC]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
carboxylic \car`box*yl"ic\ (k[aum]r`b[o^]ks*[i^]l"[i^]k), adj.
(Chem.)
of or pertaining to the carboxyl group; having a carboxyl
group (written -COOH, -CO2H or -CO.OH); as, carboxylic
acids are weakly acidic.
Syn: carboxyl.
[WordNet 1.5]