carbohydrate

noun

car·​bo·​hy·​drate ˌkär-bō-ˈhī-ˌdrāt 

-drət

: any of various neutral compounds of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen (such as sugars, starches, and celluloses) most of which are formed by green plants and which constitute a major class of animal foods

Examples of carbohydrate in a Sentence

a food that is low in protein but high in carbohydrate

Recent Examples on the Web

Most mammals, humans included, typically fuel exercise by burning carbohydrates and lipids, neither or which are available in the blood. —Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 7 Nov. 2024

These foods include certain dairy products containing lactose and certain carbohydrates including fruit sugar (fructose).13 How to Get an Endometriosis Diagnosis Summary Endo belly is severe lower-abdominal swelling caused by endometriosis. —Michelle Pugle, Verywell Health, 4 Nov. 2024

Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs): These are produced when gut microbiota ferments (breaks down) carbohydrates in plant foods. —Johna Burdeos, Health, 20 Oct. 2024

But archaeological evidence in recent years has challenged this view, suggesting that humans long ago developed a taste for carbohydrates, roasting things such as tubers and other starch-laden foods that have been detected by analyzing bacteria lodged in teeth. —Katie Hunt, CNN, 18 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1851, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing carbohydrate

• complex carbohydrate

Kids Definition

carbohydrate

noun

car·​bo·​hy·​drate ˌkär-bō-ˈhī-ˌdrāt 

-drət

: any of various compounds of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen (as sugars, starches, or celluloses) most of which are formed by plants and are a major animal food

Medical Definition

carbohydrate

noun

car·​bo·​hy·​drate -ˌdrāt, -drət 

: any of various neutral compounds of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen (as sugars, starches, and celluloses) most of which are formed by green plants and which constitute a major class of animal foods