a. Chem. [ad. F. caféique, f. café coffee; partially assimilated to mod.L. coffea, which would properly give coffeic, coffein.]

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  Of or pertaining to coffee; esp. in caffeic acid (C9H6O4), a substance found in brilliant yellowish prisms or plates. So Caffeidine, an uncrystallizable base (C7H12N4O), produced by the action of alkalies on caffeine. Caffeone, the aromatic principle of coffee, a brown aromatic volatile oil, produced in the roasting of coffee berries. Caffetannate, a salt of Caffetannic acid, an astringent acid found in coffee berries, Paraguay tea, and other plants.

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1853.  Pharmac. Jrnl., XIII. 383. Caffeic acid is precipitated.

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1863.  Watts, Dict. Chem., I. 709. Caffetannic acid colours ferric salts green. Ibid., 710. The caffetannates are but little known.

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1876.  Harley, Mat. Med., 547. Caffeic acid is an astringent acid.

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1880.  Cope’s Tobacco Plant, Oct., 539/2. First Subdivision.—Caffeïc Aliments: Coffee, Tea, Maté, Guarana, and the rest.

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