oligosaccharide

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

noun Chemistry.

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

Origin of oligosaccharide

First recorded in 1925–30; oligo- + saccharide

British Dictionary definitions for oligosaccharide

oligosaccharide
/ (ˌɒlɪɡəʊˈsækəˌraɪd, -rɪd) /

noun

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

Medical definitions for oligosaccharide

oligosaccharide
[ ŏl′ĭ-gō-săkə-rīd′ ]

n.

A carbohydrate that consists of a relatively small number of monosaccharides.

Scientific definitions for oligosaccharide

oligosaccharide
[ ŏl′ĭ-gō-săkə-rīd′, ō′lĭ- ]

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. Compare monosaccharide polysaccharide.