sorbitol

noun

sor·​bi·​tol ˈsȯr-bə-ˌtȯl  -ˌtōl 

: 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

Examples of sorbitol in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The specific sweeteners included in the study were aspartame, saccharin, acesulfame-K, erythritol, xylitol, sorbitol and tagatose, according to the study's press release. —Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 5 Sep. 2025

When looking at individual sweeteners, consuming acesulfame-K, aspartame, erythritol, saccharin, sorbitol and xylitol was associated with a faster decline in overall cognition, particularly in memory. —Hannah Millington, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025

Erythritol, xylitol and sorbitol are sugar alcohols, a carbohydrate found naturally in tiny quantities in foods such as cauliflower, eggplant, lettuce, mushrooms, spinach, plums, raspberries and strawberries. —Sandee Lamotte, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2025

Dates contain soluble fiber, insoluble fiber, and sorbitol, each of which can act to relieve constipation. —Angelica Bottaro, Verywell Health, 18 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

sorb fruit of the service or related trees + -itol

First Known Use

1895, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for sorbitol

• aerosol
• alcohol
• arbitral
• basketball
• butanol
• cannonball
• carbinol
• catarrhal
• cortisol
• ethanol
• fireball
• gasohol

Medical Definition

sorbitol

noun

sor·​bi·​tol ˈsȯr-bə-ˌtȯl  -ˌtōl 

: a faintly sweet alcohol C₆H₁₄O₆ that occurs especially in fruits of the mountain ash (genus Sorbus), is made synthetically, and is used especially as a humectant, a softener, and a sweetener and in making ascorbic acid