saccharide

/ˌsækəˈraɪd/

Other forms: saccharides

Definitions of saccharide

1. noun

   an essential structural component of living cells and source of energy for animals; includes simple sugars with small molecules as well as macromolecular substances; are classified according to the number of monosaccharide groups they contain
   synonyms: carbohydrate, sugar

   types:

   ribose

   a pentose sugar important as a component of ribonucleic acid

   beet sugar

   sugar made from sugar beets

   cane sugar

   sucrose obtained from sugar cane

   deoxyribose

   a sugar that is a constituent of nucleic acids

   invert sugar

   a mixture of equal parts of glucose and fructose resulting from the hydrolysis of sucrose; found naturally in fruits; sweeter than glucose

   maple sugar

   sugar made from the sap of the sugar maple tree

   monosaccharide, monosaccharose, simple sugar

   a sugar (like glucose or fructose) that does not hydrolyse to give other sugars; the simplest group of carbohydrates

   oligosaccharide

   any of the carbohydrates that yield only a few monosaccharide molecules on complete hydrolysis

   polyose, polysaccharide

   any of a class of carbohydrates whose molecules contain chains of monosaccharide molecules

   jaggary, jaggery, jagghery

   unrefined brown sugar made from palm sap

   wood sugar, xylose

   a sugar extracted from wood or straw; used in foods for diabetics

   Lipo-Hepin, Liquaemin, heparin

   a polysaccharide produced in basophils (especially in the lung and liver) and that inhibits the activity of thrombin in coagulation of the blood; it (trade names Lipo-Hepin and Liquaemin) is used as an anticoagulant in the treatment of thrombosis and in heart surgery

   triose

   any monosaccharide sugar containing three atoms of carbon per molecule

   tetrose

   any monosaccharide sugar containing four atoms of carbon per molecule

   pentose

   any monosaccharide sugar containing five atoms of carbon per molecule

   hexose

   a monosaccharide that contains six carbon atoms per molecule

   aldose

   a monosaccharide sugar that contains the aldehyde group or is hemiacetal

   chitin

   a tough semitransparent horny substance; the principal component of the exoskeletons of arthropods and the cell walls of certain fungi

   cellulose

   a polysaccharide that is the chief constituent of all plant tissues and fibers

   animal starch, glycogen

   one form in which body fuel is stored; stored primarily in the liver and broken down into glucose when needed by the body

   inulin

   used to manufacture fructose and in assessing kidney function

   demerara

   a light brown raw cane sugar from Guyana

   dextrin

   any of various polysaccharides obtained by hydrolysis of starch; a tasteless and odorless gummy substance that is used as a thickening agent and in adhesives and in dietary supplements

   disaccharide

   any of a variety of carbohydrates that yield two monosaccharide molecules on complete hydrolysis

   ketose

   any monosaccharide sugar that contains a ketone group or its hemiacetal

   mucopolysaccharide

   complex polysaccharides containing an amino group; occur chiefly as components of connective tissue

   amylum, starch

   a complex carbohydrate found chiefly in seeds, fruits, tubers, roots and stem pith of plants, notably in corn, potatoes, wheat, and rice; an important foodstuff and used otherwise especially in adhesives and as fillers and stiffeners for paper and textiles

   tetrasaccharide

   any of a variety of carbohydrates that yield four monosaccharide molecules on complete hydrolysis

   trisaccharide

   any of a variety of carbohydrates that yield three monosaccharide molecules on complete hydrolysis

   type of:

   macromolecule, supermolecule

   any very large complex molecule; found only in plants and animals