polysaccharide

noun

poly·​sac·​cha·​ride ˌpä-lē-ˈsa-kə-ˌrīd 

: a carbohydrate that can be decomposed by hydrolysis into two or more molecules of monosaccharides

especially : one (such as cellulose, starch, or glycogen) containing many monosaccharide units and marked by complexity

Examples of polysaccharide in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

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

The soluble fiber in oats, particularly the polysaccharide beta-glucan, forms a viscous gel in the digestive tract. —Lauren Manaker Ms, Health, 22 May 2026

Its root contains polysaccharides and eleutherosides with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. —Ryan Brennan may 6, Sacbee.com, 6 May 2026

Starch, also called amylose and amylopectin, is a polysaccharide with glucose molecules that are linked using alpha bonds. —Julie Pollock, The Conversation, 1 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary

First Known Use

1892, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for polysaccharide

• acetaldehyde
• acetanilide
• arabinoside
• cycloheximide
• cyclophosphamide
• diethylamide
• dinucleotide
• ferricyanide
• ferrocyanide
• glutaraldehyde
• glyceraldehyde
• hydroperoxide

Kids Definition

polysaccharide

noun

poly·​sac·​cha·​ride ˈpäl-i-ˈsak-ə-ˌrīd 

: a carbohydrate that can be broken down into two or more small sugar molecules

Medical Definition

polysaccharide

noun

poly·​sac·​cha·​ride -ˈsak-ə-ˌrīd 

: a carbohydrate that can be decomposed by hydrolysis into two or more molecules of monosaccharides

especially : one (as cellulose, starch, or glycogen) containing many monosaccharide units and marked by complexity

called also glycan