amylose

noun

am·​y·​lose ˈa-mə-ˌlōs How to pronounce amylose (audio)
-ˌlōz
: a component of starch characterized by its straight chains of glucose units

Examples of amylose in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Studies have found that cooking gelatinizes starch, which means that amylopectin and amylose are released and exposed to enzymes. Richard Wrangham, Discover Magazine, 8 Dec. 2011 The structure of rice noodles is due to amylose and amylopectin as well. Ashton Yoon, Discover Magazine, 5 June 2018 Cornstarch is made up of many molecules of glucose, specifically amylopectin and amylose. Science Buddies, Scientific American, 16 Feb. 2012 Instead, the polysaccharides amylose and amylopectin provide the structure in things like rice noodles. Ashton Yoon, Discover Magazine, 5 June 2018 The more amylose molecules there are, the firmer, or more viscous, the mesh will be. Science Buddies, Scientific American, 16 Feb. 2012 As this happens, the spaghetti swells, and small amounts of a starch called amylose leach into the water. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 16 Mar. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'amylose.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1833, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of amylose was in 1833

Dictionary Entries Near amylose

Cite this Entry

“Amylose.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/amylose. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Medical Definition

amylose

noun
am·​y·​lose ˈam-ə-ˌlōs, -ˌlōz How to pronounce amylose (audio)
1
: any of various polysaccharides (as starch or cellulose)
2
: a component of starch characterized by its straight chains of glucose units and by the tendency of its aqueous solutions to set to a stiff gel
3
: any of various compounds (C6H10O5)x obtained by the hydrolysis of starch

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