oligosaccharide

American  

[ol-i-goh-sak-uh-rahyd, -rid] / ˌɒl ɪ goʊˈsæk əˌraɪd, -rɪd /

noun

Chemistry.

1. any carbohydrate yielding few monosaccharides on hydrolysis, as two, three, or four.

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oligosaccharide British  

/ ˌɒlɪɡəʊˈsækəˌraɪd, -rɪd /

noun

1. any one of a class of carbohydrates consisting of a few monosaccharide units linked together Compare polysaccharide

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oligosaccharide Scientific  

/ ŏl′ĭ-gō-săk′ə-rīd′,ō′lĭ- /

1. A carbohydrate consisting of a relatively small and specifiable number of monosaccharides joined together. Lactose, maltose, and sucrose are oligosaccharides consisting of two simple sugars. Raffinose is an oligosaccharide consisting of three simple sugars.

2. Compare monosaccharide polysaccharide

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Etymology

Origin of oligosaccharide

First recorded in 1925–30; oligo- + saccharide

Example Sentences

"More specifically, if they have unexpected episodes of severe abdominal pain occurring several hours after eating mammalian meat, they should be investigated for possible sensitization to the oligosaccharide alpha-gal."

From Science Daily • Dec. 17, 2025

Silva’s group has obtained a patent from the Brazilian government to convert mannan into mannose and to make it into a prebiotic called mannan oligosaccharide.

From National Geographic • Dec. 14, 2023

Abbott is also studying human milk oligosaccharide, a kind of carbohydrate that stimulates flora in breast-fed infants, as a possible future addition.

From Slate • Jun. 21, 2015