Definition
oligosaccharide
noun
- a carbohydrate consisting of a small number of monosaccharide units (typically 3–10) linked together by glycosidic bonds.
Usage: technical; biochemistry
Examples
- Sucrose is a disaccharide, a type of oligosaccharide made of glucose and fructose.
- Oligosaccharides are found naturally in many plants and are used in food science.
- The enzyme breaks down the oligosaccharide into smaller sugar molecules.
- Maltose and lactose are common examples of oligosaccharides.
- Oligosaccharides play an important role in cell recognition and immune function.