glyco-

American  

1. a combining form with the meanings “sugar,” “glucose and its derivatives,” used in the formation of compound words.

   glycolipid.

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glyco- British  

combining form

1. indicating sugar

   glycogen

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Usage

What does glyco- mean? Glyco- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “sugar" or "glucose and its derivatives." Glucose is a sugar found in many fruits, animal tissues and fluids, and other sources. Glyco- is often used in scientific terms, especially in chemistry.Glyco- comes from Greek glykýs, meaning “sweet." The Latin translation (and perhaps cognate) of glykýs is dulcis, “sweet,” which is the source of sweetness-related terms such as dulcet and, through Italian, dolce vita. To learn more, check out our entries for both words.What are variants of glyco-?When combined with words or word elements that begin with a vowel, glyco- becomes glyc-, as in glycin.Less common variants of glyco- are gluco- and gluc-, as in glucolipid and glucan.Want to know more? Read our Words That Use articles on glyc-, gluco-, and gluc-.

Etymology

Origin of glyco-

Combining form representing Greek glykýs sweet

Example Sentences

"Twenty-four hours before competition you just stop drinking completely and your body just keeps weeing, draining itself of all the liquid because you've unsettled your sodium levels. "Your muscle glyco levels just blow up.

From BBC

Chemical structure of vancomycin, the pioneering member of the class of lipoglycopeptide antibiotics: “lipo” for the fatty portion, “glyco” for the sugar, and “peptide” for the amino acids.

From Forbes

We had sweetmeats, rose leaf glyco, oranges and all kinds of fruit.

From Project Gutenberg

If you admire and prefer the Peripatetic school, Aristotle was a native of Stagira, Theophrastus of Eresus, Strato of Lampsacus, Glyco of Troas, Aristo of Ceos, Critolaus of Phaselis.

From Project Gutenberg

Alluding to the celebrated Hercules of Glyco resting after his labours; and to the easy attitude of Antinous; the lofty step of the Apollo of Belvidere; and the retreating modesty of the Venus de Medici.

From Project Gutenberg