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Glite Dictionary
tetrasaccharide

tetrasaccharide

9.9
A sugar made of four simple sugars that come apart when broken down
  • noun
  • /ˌtɛtrəˈsækəˌraɪd/
  • Specialized
: tetrasacárido
  • A tetrasaccharide consists of four sugar molecules.

Examples

  • A tetrasaccharide is formed when four monosaccharides are linked together.

  • Complete hydrolysis of this tetrasaccharide produced four separate monosaccharides.

  • Researchers are studying the role of tetrasaccharides in cellular communication.

  • The scientist identified a new tetrasaccharide in the plant extract.

  • The tetrasaccharides in this sample were analyzed carefully.

  • Complete hydrolysis of this tetrasaccharide produced four separate monosaccharides.

  • The scientist identified a new tetrasaccharide that could enhance food textures.

Synonyms

oligosaccharide
vstetrasaccharide
  • Specialized
1 9.1

A small carbohydrate made of a few simple sugars linked together

is the specific case yielding exactly four monosaccharides on complete hydrolysis

Surface Forms

tetrasaccharide singular
tetrasaccharides plural

Morphology

tetrasaccharide = saccharide (semi-transparent) = tetra + saccharide + tetr

Formed by the combining form 'tetra-' (four) + 'saccharide'; composition is regular in chemical nomenclature but the elements are technical combining forms that may be unfamiliar to average B1 learners.

Etymology

The word tetrasaccharide comes from tetra- meaning 'four' and saccharide meaning 'sugar'. So a tetrasaccharide is literally 'four sugars' joined together, which is why it gives four simple sugar units when it is fully broken apart.