proximate principle
Also found in: Dictionary, Thesaurus, Legal, Encyclopedia.
prox·i·mate prin·ci·ple
in chemistry, an organic compound that may exist already formed as a part of some other more complex substance (for example, various sugars, starches, and albumins).
Synonym(s): organic principle
proximate principle
An obsolete term for a substance that may be extracted from its complex form without destroying or altering its chemical properties.
See also: principle