polysaccharide
Definition
- Noun:
- A complex carbohydrate composed of long chains of monosaccharide (simple sugar) molecules bonded together. Polysaccharides serve various functions in living organisms, including energy storage (e.g., starch) and structural support (e.g., cellulose).
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Cellulose, a major polysaccharide, is the primary structural component of plant cell walls.
- Glycogen is a polysaccharide that animals use to store glucose in the liver and muscles.
- Starch is a common polysaccharide found in foods like potatoes and rice.
Advanced Usage
"Structural polysaccharide": A polysaccharide that provides support and protection, such as chitin in insect exoskeletons.
- Chitin is a structural polysaccharide that makes arthropod shells rigid.
"Storage polysaccharide": A polysaccharide that organisms use to store energy for later use.
- Plants store energy as the storage polysaccharide starch.
Variants and Related Words
- Monosaccharide (n): A simple sugar that is the basic building block of a polysaccharide (e.g., glucose, fructose).
- Disaccharide (n): A carbohydrate formed from two monosaccharide molecules (e.g., sucrose).
- Carbohydrate (n): A broader class of organic compounds that includes sugars, starches, and cellulose.
Synonyms
- Glycan: A technical term for a polysaccharide or oligosaccharide.
- Complex carbohydrate: A common dietary term for polysaccharides like starch and fiber.
Related Phrases and Terms
- Dietary fiber: Often consists of indigestible polysaccharides like cellulose, which aid digestion.
- Dietary fiber includes many polysaccharides that humans cannot digest.
Noun
-
any of a class of carbohydrates whose molecules contain chains of monosaccharide molecules
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