sorbitol

S1O1R1B3I1T1O1L1
UK/ˈsɔː.bɪ.tɒl/US/ˈsɔɹ.bɪˌtɔl/

noun

A faintly sweet alcohol C₆H₁₄O₆ that occurs in some fruits, is made synthetically, and is used especially as a humectant and softener and in making ascorbic acid.

Similar
E420
UncommonScrabble 10
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Meanings

nounsorbitol (countable and uncountable, plural sorbitols)

plural sorbitols

  1. countableuncountablebiochemistryA faintly sweet alcohol C₆H₁₄O₆ that occurs in some fruits, is made synthetically, and is used especially as a humectant and softener and in making ascorbic acid.

    Synonyms: E420

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA faintly sweet alcohol C₆H₁₄O₆ that occurs in some fruits, is made synthetically, and is used especially as a humectant and softener and in making ascorbic acid.

Similar
E420
Also see
sorbierite

Origin

From earlier sorbite (from sorb + -ite) + -ol. By surface analysis, sorb + -itol.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian сорбитол
  • сорбитол (sorbitol)C6H14O6
Chinese Mandarin 山梨醇, 山梨糖醇
  • 山梨醇 (shānlíchún)C6H14O6
  • 山梨糖醇 (shānlítángchún)C6H14O6
Finnish sorbitoli
  • sorbitoliC6H14O6
French sorbitol
  • sorbitolC6H14O6
Japanese ソルビトール
  • ソルビトール (sorubitōru)C6H14O6
Spanish sorbitol
  • sorbitolC6H14O6
Cite this entry
APA

sorbitol. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sorbitol

MLA

“sorbitol.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sorbitol. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “sorbitol,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/sorbitol.

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