butyrate

noun

bu·​ty·​rate ˈbyü-tə-ˌrāt How to pronounce butyrate (audio)
: a salt or ester of butyric acid

Examples of butyrate 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.
And butter contains butyrate, which has been studied for potential benefits to gut health. — Daryl Austin, USA Today, 25 June 2026 Plants exude a variety of waste products that microbes consume, such as glucose, acetate, butyrate, and propionate. — IEEE Spectrum, 29 Jan. 2013 Because resistant starch isn’t digested by our enzymes, gut microbes break it down instead, producing compounds like butyrate that support health. — Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Dec. 2025 These help signal satiety to the brain while producing beneficial short-chain fatty acids, such as butyrate, which support gut barrier function, immune regulation and metabolic health. — Hannah Coates, Vogue, 5 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for butyrate

Word History

First Known Use

1852, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of butyrate was in 1852

Browse Nearby Words

butyraldehyde
butyrate
butyric
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Butyrate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/butyrate. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Medical Definition

butyrate

noun
bu·​ty·​rate ˈbyüt-ə-ˌrāt How to pronounce butyrate (audio)
: a salt or ester of butyric acid
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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