UNSATURATED

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does unsaturated mean? 

• UNSATURATED (adjective)
  The adjective UNSATURATED has 3 senses:

1. not saturated; capable of dissolving more of a substance at a given temperature

2. used of a compound (especially of carbon) containing atoms sharing more than one valence bond

3. (of color) not chromatically pure; diluted

  Familiarity information: UNSATURATED used as an adjective is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• UNSATURATED (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Not saturated; capable of dissolving more of a substance at a given temperature

Context example:

an unsaturated salt solution

Antonym:

saturated (being the most concentrated solution possible at a given temperature; unable to dissolve still more of a substance)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Used of a compound (especially of carbon) containing atoms sharing more than one valence bond

Context example:

unsaturated fats

Similar:

monounsaturated ((of long-chain carbon compounds especially fats) saturated except for one multiple bond)

polyunsaturated ((of long-chain carbon compounds especially fats) having many unsaturated bonds)

Domain category:

chemical science; chemistry (the science of matter; the branch of the natural sciences dealing with the composition of substances and their properties and reactions)

Antonym:

saturated (used especially of organic compounds; having all available valence bonds filled)

Sense 3

Meaning:

(of color) not chromatically pure; diluted

Context example:

an unsaturated red

Similar:

dull ((of color) very low in saturation; highly diluted)

Antonym:

saturated ((of color) being chromatically pure; not diluted with white or grey or black)

 Context examples 

Role of unsaturated fats in cancer causation or prevention and in general health.

(Nutrition, Fats, Unsaturated, NCI Thesaurus)

Oils high in unsaturated fats extracted from the bodies of fish or fish parts, especially the livers.

(Fish Oil, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)

A lipophilic, unsaturated fatty acid ester derivative of gemcitabine (dFdC), an antimetabolite deoxynucleoside analogue, with potential antineoplastic activity.

(Gemcitabine Elaidate, NCI Thesaurus)

PKN is activated by a small GTPase RhoA and unsaturated fatty acids such as arachidonic acid.

(Centrosome Pathway, NCI Thesaurus/BIOCARTA)

This gene is involved in the metabolism of unsaturated fatty acids.

(ECI2 Gene, NCI Thesaurus)

Unsaturated fatty acids are those that contain one or more double bonds in their alkyl-chain.

(Oxidation of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Pathway, NCI Thesaurus/BIOCARTA)

Any fatty acid that contains an unsaturated bond originating from the 3rd carbon from the methyl end.

(Omega-3 fatty acid, NCI Thesaurus)

An artifact resulting from the flow of unsaturated spins into the imaged slice.

(Entry of Unsaturated Spins Into the Volume, NCI Thesaurus)

Also, unsaturated oligogalacturonic acids in MCP may stimulate the immune system through the activation of natural killer cells, cytotoxic T-cells, and B-cells.

(Modified Citrus Pectin Supplement, NCI Thesaurus)

The sodium salt form of ethacrynic acid, an unsaturated ketone derivative of aryloxyacetic acid without a sulfonamide substituent belonging to the class of loop diuretics.

(Ethacrynate Sodium, NCI Thesaurus)