low-carbohydrate
UK[ˌləʊ kɑːbəˈhaɪdreɪt]US[ˌloʊ kɑːrboʊˈhaɪdreɪt]
adj
Containing or involving a reduced amount of carbohydrates.
Morpheme Breakdown
low
carbohydrate
low
adjective
carbohydrate
noun
Etymology
The term is a modern nutritional compound, formed in English by combining the common adjective 'low', indicating a reduced quantity, with the scientific noun 'carbohydrate'. 'Carbohydrate' itself has a descriptive chemical etymology, coined in the 19th century from the French 'hydrate de carbone', reflecting the early observation that these substances (like sugars and starches) had a composition that could be expressed as carbon plus water. The compound 'low-carbohydrate' thus logically and transparently denotes a diet or food item characterized by a diminished proportion of these specific carbon-based nutrients.
Analysis
Structure: low (adjective) + carbohydrate (noun)
low: From Old English 'hlāw', 'hlǣw' meaning "not high, near the ground." In this compound, it functions as an adjective meaning "small in amount or degree."
carbohydrate: A compound word from 'carbo-' (from Latin 'carbo' meaning "coal, charcoal") and '-hydrate' (from Greek 'hydōr' meaning "water"). It functions as a noun referring to a specific class of biochemical compounds.
Examples
She follows a strict low-carbohydrate diet to manage her blood sugar levels.
Many supermarkets now have entire aisles dedicated to low-carbohydrate food products.
The recipe was adapted to be low-carbohydrate by using almond flour instead of wheat flour.