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Definition

noun, plural: monosaccharides

(biochemistry)

(1) A simple sugar, example: fructose, glucose, and ribose.

(2) The simplest form of carbohydrate; therefore, it cannot be broken down to simpler sugars by hydrolysis.

(3) A sugar that constitutes the building blocks of a more complex form of sugars such as oligosaccharides and polysaccharides.

(4) Molecule with chemical formula (CH2O)_n+m, and with the chemical structure H(CHOH)nC=O(CHOH)mH.

Supplement

Monosaccharides are classified by the number of carbon atoms they contain:

• Triose, 3 carbon atoms
• Tetrose, 4 carbon atoms
• Pentose, 5 carbon atoms
• Hexose, 6 carbon atoms
• Heptose, 7 carbon atoms
• Octose, 8 carbon atoms
• Nonose, 9 carbon atoms
• Decose, 10 carbon atoms

Monosaccharides are classified the type of carbonyl group they contain:

• Aldose, -CHO (aldehyde)
• Ketose, C=O (ketone)

Word origin: from Greek, monos: single + sacchar: sugar.
Synonym: monosaccharose, simple sugar.
Compare: disaccharide, polysaccharide.
See also: carbohydrate.