carbohydrate
Meaning
any of a large group of organic compounds, including sugars and starches, that contain carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, and are an important source of food and energy for living organisms.
a food, such as bread, rice, or potatoes, that contains a lot of carbohydrates.
Structure
Usage
athletes often load up on carbohydrates like pasta before a major competition.
nutrition labels list the total amount of carbohydrate, including fiber and sugars.
many low-carb diets restrict the intake of bread and other carbohydrate-rich foods.
Etymology
the term carbohydrate was coined in the mid-19th century by french chemists, built from the components 'carbo-' for carbon and '-hydrate' for water. this naming reflects the early chemical observation that these compounds, like glucose, have a general formula suggesting they are hydrates of carbon (e.g., c6(h2o)6). while the modern biochemical understanding is more complex, involving specific functional groups rather than literal water molecules, the name's logic persists. it elegantly captures the elemental composition—carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen—that defines this essential class of biological molecules.
Analysis
carbo: from latin 'carbo' meaning 'coal, charcoal', representing the element carbon. hydrate: from greek 'hydōr' meaning 'water', via the french-derived suffix '-hydrate' indicating a compound formed with water.