Chem. Combining form of FORMIC, as in Formobenzoic (acid), an obs. name for MANDELIC acid; hence Formobenzoate, a salt of this acid.
1834. Mrs. Somerville, Connect. Phys. Sc., xxiv. (1849), 229. On paper prepared with formobenzoate of silver the chemical spectrum is cut off at the orange rays.
1873. Fownes’ Chem. (ed. 11), 823. Formobenzoic or Mandelic Acid C8H8O3.
