carb

¹ American  

[kahrb] / kɑrb /

noun

1. carbohydrate.

---

verb (used without object)

1. to eat large quantities of carbohydrates before a major physical exertion in order to store up energy (usually followed byup ).

   Some marathon runners carb up on spaghetti the night before a race.

carb ² American  

[kahrb] / kɑrb /

noun

Informal.

1. a carburetor.

---

carb- ³ American  

1. variant of carbo- before a vowel.

   carbazole.

---

carb British  

/ kɑːb /

noun

1. short for carburettor

2. short for carbohydrate

---

Usage

What does carb- mean? The combining form carbo- is used like a prefix meaning “carbon.” It is often used in scientific terms, especially in chemistry. The form carbo- ultimately comes from Latin carbō, meaning “charcoal.” Yes, charcoal. The dishes carbonara and carbonade are also related to the Latin carbō. The Greek translation of Latin carbō is ánthrax, “charcoal” or “carbuncle,” which is the source of the word anthrax. Find out more at our entry for the word. What are variants of carb-?The form carb- is a variant of carbo-, which loses its -o- when combined with words or word elements beginning with vowels. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use article for carbo-.

Etymology

Origin of carb¹

By shortening of carbohydrate

Origin of carb²

First recorded in 1950–55; by shortening

Example Sentences

"The problem is that when you then give these mice a little bit of carbs, their carb response is completely skewed," Chaix said.

From Science Daily • Jan. 27, 2026

Ms Padi has put her daughter on a low carb diet, but still struggles to maintain her weight.

From BBC • Sep. 9, 2025

And if you’re doing low carb, you can ask for crudité, and they bring that to you for free as well.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 13, 2024

What are some of the fundamental ingredients you would put at the heart of a recipe — the protein or the carb — and what are the seasonings?

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 18, 2024

In the first case the Liatris was followed by Ferrum carb.

From New, Old, and Forgotten Remedies: Papers by Many Writers by Anshutz, Edward Pollock