ketone

noun

ke·​tone ˈkē-ˌtōn How to pronounce ketone (audio)
: any of a class of organic compounds (such as acetone) characterized by a carbonyl group attached to two carbon atoms
ketonic adjective

Examples of ketone in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
If their blood sugar is over 240 mg/dL and ketone levels are high, go to the ER.10 Hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) is an early warning sign of diabetes. Barbie Cervoni, Verywell Health, 15 July 2025 These fats are metabolized by the body into ketones which are said to increase satiety and provide rapid energy to the brain. Alessandra Signorelli, Vogue, 30 Apr. 2025 During ketosis, the body breaks down fat into ketones and uses them for fuel. Chelsea Rae Bourgeois, Rdn, Health, 24 Apr. 2025 The researchers noted no increase in dangerous complications such as diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), a life-threatening complication of diabetes that occurs when there’s a lack of insulin and the body has to burn fat for energy instead of glucose, leading to a buildup of ketones in the blood. New Atlas, 25 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for ketone

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from German Keton, coinage based on Aceton acetone

Note: The German term Keton was apparently the coinage of the chemist Leopold Gmelin (1788-1853), who introduced it in Handbuch der organischen Chemie, 1. Band, 4. Auflage (Heidelberg, 1848), p. 40 passim. Gmelin characterized ketones as "Acetone im allgemeinen" ("acetones in general"), acetone being the smallest and simplest ketone.

First Known Use

1851, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ketone was in 1851

Cite this Entry

“Ketone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ketone. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.

Medical Definition

ketone

noun
ke·​tone ˈkē-ˌtōn How to pronounce ketone (audio)
: an organic compound (as acetone) with a carbonyl group attached to two carbon atoms

More from Merriam-Webster on ketone

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