oligosaccharide

O1L1I1G2O1S1A1C3C3H4A1R1I1D2E1
UK/ɒl.ɪ.ɡəʊˈsæk.əˌɹaɪd/

noun

A polysaccharide of low molecular weight, being a polymer of between three and eight monosaccharide units.

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

nounoligosaccharide (plural oligosaccharides)

plural oligosaccharides

  1. biochemistryA polysaccharide of low molecular weight, being a polymer of between three and eight monosaccharide units.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
oligosugar

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekὀλῐ́γος (olĭ́gos)
  2. Englisholigo-
  3. Proto-Indo-European*ḱorkeh₂
  4. Proto-Indo-Iranian*ćárkaraH
  5. Proto-Indo-Aryan*śárkaraH
  6. Sanskritशर्क॑रा (śárkarā)
  7. Palisakkharā
  8. Ancient Greekσάκχαρ (sákkhar)
  9. Latinsaccharon
  10. Latinsaccharum
  11. Englishsaccharo-
  12. Proto-Indo-European*dʰeh₁-
  13. Englishsaccharide
  14. Englisholigosaccharide

From oligo- + saccharide.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan oligosacàrid
  • oligosacàridpolysaccharide of low molecular weight
Chinese Cantonese 寡醣 /寡糖
  • 寡醣 /寡糖 (gwaa² tong⁴)polysaccharide of low molecular weight
Chinese Mandarin 寡醣 /寡糖
  • 寡醣 /寡糖 (guǎtáng)polysaccharide of low molecular weight
Finnish oligosakkaridi
  • oligosakkaridipolysaccharide of low molecular weight
French oligosaccharide, oligoholoside
  • oligosaccharidepolysaccharide of low molecular weight
  • oligoholosidepolysaccharide of low molecular weight
  • oligosidepolysaccharide of low molecular weight
Hungarian oligoszacharid
  • oligoszacharidpolysaccharide of low molecular weight
Italian oligosaccaride
  • oligosaccaridepolysaccharide of low molecular weight
Japanese オリゴ糖
  • オリゴ糖 (origotō)polysaccharide of low molecular weight
Malay oligosakarida
  • oligosakaridapolysaccharide of low molecular weight
Romanian oligozaharidă
  • oligozaharidăpolysaccharide of low molecular weight
Spanish oligosacárido
  • oligosacáridopolysaccharide of low molecular weight
Turkish oligosakkarit
  • oligosakkaritpolysaccharide of low molecular weight
Cite this entry
APA

oligosaccharide. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/oligosaccharide

MLA

“oligosaccharide.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/oligosaccharide. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “oligosaccharide,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/oligosaccharide.

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