fructose

noun

fruc·​tose ˈfrək-ˌtōs  ˈfrük-  ˈfru̇k- 

-ˌtōz

1

: a crystalline sugar C₆H₁₂O₆ sweeter and more soluble than glucose

2

: the very sweet levorotatory d-form of fructose that occurs especially in fruit juices and honey

called also fruit sugar, levulose

Examples of fructose in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Why cane sugar drinks are trending Industry experts say cane sugar beverages have developed a reputation for tasting more premium than drinks made with high-fructose corn syrup. —Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 28 May 2026

The key carbohydrates in this tropical fruit include starch, sugars (fructose, glucose, sucrose), and non-starch polysaccharides (such as pectin and cellulose), which comprise part of dietary fiber. —Randi Gollin, Martha Stewart, 23 May 2026

Mangoes Mangoes contain a moderate amount of fructose, ranking lower than apples and pears. —Anna Giorgi, Verywell Health, 22 May 2026

Per the Cleveland Clinic, the genetic condition is caused by a missing enzyme that makes people unable to digest fructose, a natural sugar found in foods like fruit. —Adam England, PEOPLE, 13 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Latin frūctus fruit entry 1 + -ose entry 2

Note: The term was apparently introduced by the British chemist William Allen Miller (1817-70) in Elements of Chemistry: Theoretical and Practical, Part III, Organic Chemistry (London, 1857), p. 57.

First Known Use

circa 1864, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for fructose

• arkose
• engross
• faroese
• fucose
• gatos
• glucose
• jocose
• morose
• plateaus
• spinose
• vadose
• adios

Kids Definition

fructose

noun

fruc·​tose ˈfrək-ˌtōs  ˈfru̇k- 

: a very sweet sugar that dissolves easily and occurs especially in fruit juices and honey

Medical Definition

fructose

noun

fruc·​tose ˈfrək-ˌtōs  ˈfrük-  ˈfru̇k- 

-ˌtōz

1

: an optically active sugar C₆H₁₂O₆ that differs from glucose in having a ketonic rather than an aldehydic carbonyl group

2

: the very sweet soluble levorotatory D-form of fructose that occurs especially in fruit juices and honey

called also levulose