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Gallic

(Science: chemistry) Pertaining to, or containing, gallium.

Origin: From gallium.

Pertaining to, or derived from, galls, nutgalls, and the like.

(Science: chemistry) gallic acid, an organic acid, very widely distributed in the vegetable kingdom, being found in the free state in galls, tea, etc, and produced artificially. It is a white, crystalline substance, with an astringent taste, and is a strong reducing agent, as employed in photography. It is usually prepared from tannin, and both give a dark colour with iron salts, forming tannate and gallate of iron, which are the essential ingredients of common black ink.

Structure: C6H2(HO)3.CO2H

Origin: From gall the excrescence.