oligosaccharide

[ ol-i-goh-sak-uh-rahyd, -rid ]

noun

, Chemistry.

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

oligosaccharide

/ ˌɒlɪɡəʊˈsækəˌraɪd; -rɪd /

noun

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

oligosaccharide

/ 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

Word History and Origins

Origin of oligosaccharide¹

First recorded in 1925–30; oligo- + saccharide