carbohydrate
KAHR-boh-HAHY-dreyt
/ˌkɑːrboʊˈhaɪdreɪt/
A large group of organic compounds occurring in foods and living tissues and including sugars, starch, and cellulose.
Often simplified to 'carbs', but includes everything from simple table sugar to complex plant fibers.
The story behind the word. The name comes from the fact that these molecules are made of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, often in the same ratio as water (H2O). Thus, they were seen as 'hydrated carbon'.
Word relationships
- saccharide: Saccharide is the technical chemical term for sugar-based molecules.
Commonly confused with
- hydrocarbon: A hydrocarbon is a fuel like gasoline (hydrogen + carbon); a carbohydrate is a food (carbon + water/hydrate).
Collocations
- complex carbohydrate
- simple carbohydrate
- carbohydrate loading
Example sentences
- "A complex carbohydrate like oatmeal provides a steady release of energy compared to simple sugars." Nutrition advice
- "The carbohydrate is the most abundant class of organic compounds found in living organisms." Scientific definition
Memory hook
Carbo-Hydrate: Carbon plus water. The body's preferred fuel.
When not to use
Avoid using 'sugar' as a perfect synonym, as many carbohydrates (like starch) are not sweet.
Fun facts
- Your brain is a 'carb-ivore'—it consumes about 20% of the body's glucose despite being only 2% of its weight.
Related words
Explore more words
Hydrocarbon, protein, fermentation, metabolism, organic, caramelization
Take your vocabulary further with LangBlitz
Our English vocabulary app: FSRS spaced repetition, 5,000+ curated words across 119 topic groups, CEFR A1 to C2. Explore your mastery with the beautiful Vocabulary World feature.