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''carbohydrate'' ▫ᴱᴺ｜Definition｜1st｜20260331180822-00-⌔

carbohydrate - Wiktionary, the free dictionary

English

Noun

carbohydrate (plural carbohydrates)

  • (organic chemistry, nutrition) A sugar, starch, or cellulose that is a food source of energy for an animal or plant.
    • ✤ Synonyms: carb (informal), saccharide; see also Thesaurus: carbohydrate
    • ✤ These microbes are primarily responsible for breaking down cellulose and other carbohydrates into volatile fatty acids (VFAs).
    • ✤ Oxygen levels on Earth skyrocketed 2.4 billion years ago, when cyanobacteria evolved photosynthesis: the ability to convert water and carbon dioxide into carbohydrates and waste oxygen using solar energy.1
  • (colloquial, by extension, metonymic) Any food rich in starch or other carbohydrates.
    • ✤ I’m cutting down on carbohydrates like bread and pasta.

Etymology

From their general formula C (H O); they were once thought to be hydrates of carbon.

Pronunciation

  • (Received Pronunciation) IPA: /kɑːbəʊˈhaɪdɹeɪt/
  • (US) IPA: /kɑɹboʊˈhaɪdɹeɪt/, /kɑɹbəˈhaɪdɹeɪt/
  • Audio (US): 🔊

Printed 2026-06-28.

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Footnotes

  1. 2013 September-October, Katie L. Burke, “In the News”, in American Scientist: ↩

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