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carbo

1 American  
[kahr-boh] / ˈkɑr boʊ /

noun

Informal.
carbos plural
  1. carbohydrate.

  2. a food having a high carbohydrate content.


carbo- 2 American  
  1. a combining form used in the names of chemical compounds in which carbon is present.

    carbohydrate.


carbo- British  

combining form

  1. carbon

    carbohydrate

    carbonate

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Usage

What does carbo- 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 carbo-?When combined with words or word elements that begin with a vowel, carbo- becomes carb-, as in carbene. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use article for carb-.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

Etymology

Origin of carbo

By shortening; cf. -o

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

There are efforts underway to get FAA approval for completely autonomous carbo planes to operate alongside piloted aircraft, he said.

From Slate Jan. 20, 2023

Voting for the scarecrow contest ends Sunday, but the Pervans plan to keep their carbo Solo out until after Halloween.

From Washington Post Oct. 17, 2022

De Hot Pot is a sliver of a Trinidadian restaurant ideal for pre- or post-roller skate carbo loading.

From New York Times May 29, 2019

"The most important supplement you will benefit from is carbohydrate – anything with a carbohydrate component to it, whether it's sports drinks or carbo gels that top up supplies of glycogen."

From The Guardian Feb. 1, 2013

Etym., carbo, coal; because the gas is obtained by the slow burning of charcoal.

From Principles of Geology or, The Modern Changes of the Earth and its Inhabitants Considered as Illustrative of Geology by Lyell, Charles, Sir

It is hard to do--our culture is carbo- and wheat-driven.

From Time Magazine Archive

Among the various forms of dynamite that are manufactured is carbo- dynamite, the invention of Messrs Walter F. Reid and W.D.

From Nitro-Explosives: A Practical Treatise by Sanford, P. Gerald (Percy Gerald)

Nothing can make you fully beach ready: not total abstinence from carbos and fat, not Madonna's workout regimen, not even a $100 suit hot-wired for maximum curves.

From Time Magazine Archive

When people begin to go off the strictest form of the diet, they have to be extremely careful as they increase the amount of carbos and dramatically cut back on fats.

From Time Magazine Archive

But remember, amid all the talk about carbos and fats, that all responsible diets, low carbo or not, recommend a minimum of five helpings of vegetables and fruits a day.

From Time Magazine Archive

And these here diet experts, with their everlasting talk about carbos and hydrates, were they doing a thing but simply taking all the romance out of food?

From Ma Pettengill by Wilson, Harry Leon

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