carbohydrate
English
Etymology
From their general formula Cn(H2O)n; they were once thought to be hydrates of carbon.
Pronunciation
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /kɑːbəʊˈhaɪdɹeɪt/
- (US) IPA(key): /kɑːɹboʊˈhaɪdɹeɪt/
Audio (US) (file)
Noun
carbohydrate (plural carbohydrates)
- (organic chemistry, nutrition) A sugar, starch, or cellulose that is a food source of energy for an animal or plant.
- Synonyms: (informal) carb, saccharide; see also Thesaurus:carbohydrate
- These microbes are primarily responsible for breaking down cellulose and other carbohydrates into volatile fatty acids (VFAs).
- 2013 September-October, Katie L. Burke, “In the News”, in American Scientist:
- Oxygen levels on Earth skyrocketed 2.4 billion years ago, when cyanobacteria evolved photosynthesis: the ability to convert water and carbon dioxide into carbohydrates and waste oxygen using solar energy.
- (colloquial, by extension, metonymically) Any food rich in starch or other carbohydrates.
- I'm cutting down on carbohydrates like bread and pasta.
Derived terms
- amino carbohydrate
- anticarbohydrate
- carbo-load
- carbohydrate loading
- complex carbohydrate
- simple carbohydrate
- white carbohydrate
Translations
organic compounds such as sugar, starch or cellulose
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Further reading
carbohydrate on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
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