monosaccharide

M3O1N1O1S1A1C3C3H4A1R1I1D2E1
UK/mɒn.əʊˈsæk.əˌɹaɪd/

noun

A simple sugar that has a single ring, such as glucose, fructose or deoxyribose.

Similar
monosugarsimple sugarmonosaccharose
OriginEnglish saccharide ← Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁- ← Latin saccharum →
UncommonScrabble 24
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Meanings

nounmonosaccharide (plural monosaccharides)

plural monosaccharides

  1. biochemistryA simple sugar that has a single ring, such as glucose, fructose or deoxyribose.

    Synonyms: monosugar, simple sugar

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA simple sugar that has a single ring, such as glucose, fructose or deoxyribose.

Similar
monosugarsimple sugar

More synonyms by meaning

nouna sugar (like sucrose or fructose) that does not hydrolyse to give other sugars; the simplest group of carbohydrates

Similar
monosaccharosesimple sugar
Broader
carbohydratesaccharidesugar
Also see
monosaccharosemonosugarsimple sugar

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*men-
  2. Proto-Hellenic*mónwos
  3. Ancient Greekμόνος (mónos)
  4. Ancient Greekμονο- (mono-)
  5. Englishmono-
  6. Proto-Indo-European*ḱorkeh₂
  7. Proto-Indo-Iranian*ćárkaraH
  8. Proto-Indo-Aryan*śárkaraH
  9. Sanskritशर्क॑रा (śárkarā)
  10. Palisakkharā
  11. Ancient Greekσάκχαρ (sákkhar)
  12. Latinsaccharon
  13. Latinsaccharum
  14. Englishsaccharo-
  15. Proto-Indo-European*dʰeh₁-
  16. Englishsaccharide
  17. Englishmonosaccharide

From mono- + saccharide.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan monosacàrid
  • monosacàridsimple sugar composed of a single ring
Chinese Cantonese 單糖 /单糖, 單醣 /单糖
  • 單糖 /单糖 (daan¹ tong⁴)simple sugar composed of a single ring
  • 單醣 /单糖 (daan¹ tong⁴)simple sugar composed of a single ring
Chinese Mandarin 單糖 /单糖, 單醣 /单糖
  • 單糖 /单糖 (dāntáng)simple sugar composed of a single ring
  • 單醣 /单糖 (dāntáng)simple sugar composed of a single ring
Czech monosacharid
  • monosacharidsimple sugar composed of a single ring
Esperanto monosakarido
  • monosakaridosimple sugar composed of a single ring
Finnish monosakkaridi
  • monosakkaridisimple sugar composed of a single ring
French monosaccharide, ose
  • monosaccharidesimple sugar composed of a single ring
  • osesimple sugar composed of a single ring
German Monosaccharid
  • Monosaccharidsimple sugar composed of a single ring
Hungarian monoszacharid
  • monoszacharidsimple sugar composed of a single ring
Italian monosaccaride
  • monosaccaridesimple sugar composed of a single ring
Japanese 単糖
  • 単糖 (tantō)simple sugar composed of a single ring
Malay monosakarida
  • monosakaridasimple sugar composed of a single ring
Polish monosacharyd
  • monosacharydsimple sugar composed of a single ring
Portuguese monossacarídeo, monossacarídio
  • monossacarídeosimple sugar composed of a single ring
  • monossacarídiosimple sugar composed of a single ring
Romanian monozaharidă
  • monozaharidăsimple sugar composed of a single ring
Russian моносахарид
  • моносахарид (monosaxarid)simple sugar composed of a single ring
Spanish monosacárido
  • monosacáridosimple sugar composed of a single ring
Swedish monosackarid
  • monosackaridsimple sugar composed of a single ring
Turkish monosakkarit
  • monosakkaritsimple sugar composed of a single ring
Cite this entry
APA

monosaccharide. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/monosaccharide

MLA

“monosaccharide.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/monosaccharide. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “monosaccharide,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/monosaccharide.

Source: monosaccharide on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.