pentosan

[ pen-tuh-san ]
/ ˈpɛn təˌsæn /

noun Biochemistry.

any of a class of polysaccharides that occur in plants, humus, etc., and form pentoses upon hydrolysis.

Origin of pentosan

< German (1892), equivalent to Pentos(e) pentose + -an -ane

Words nearby pentosan

pentobarbital sodium, pentobarbitone, pentode, pentolite, pentomic, pentosan, pentose, pentose nucleic acid, pentose phosphate pathway, pentosuria, pentothal

Example sentences from the Web for pentosans

  • That portion of the carbohydrates known as pentosans gives rise to furfuraldehyde, one of the important components of caffeol.

    All About Coffee |William H. Ukers

  • The pentosans, araban and xylan, occur normally in the stems and outer seed coats of many common plants.

    The Chemistry of Plant Life |Roscoe Wilfred Thatcher

British Dictionary definitions for pentosans

pentosan
/ (ˈpɛntəˌsæn) /

noun

biochem any of a group of polysaccharides, having the general formula (C 5 H 8 O 4) n : occur in plants, humus, etc

Word Origin for pentosan

C20: from pentose + -an