sucrose

noun

su·​crose ˈsü-ˌkrōs 

-ˌkrōz

: a sweet crystalline dextrorotatory disaccharide sugar C₁₂H₂₂O₁₁ that occurs naturally in most plants and is obtained commercially especially from sugarcane or sugar beets

Examples of sucrose in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The majority of it is fructose (a sugar most abundant in many fruits), followed by glucose, with lesser amounts of sucrose and other sugars. —Merve Ceylan, Health, 2 Oct. 2025

Honey may help manage diabetes: For people with diabetes, the fructose in honey may be better than the sucrose in table sugar. —Brittany Lubeck, Verywell Health, 29 Sep. 2025

When [ecologist Lars] Chittka gave bumblebees an extra jolt of sucrose, their favorite food, the bees buzzed with delight. —Big Think, 25 Sep. 2025

Up first was a dose of ketamine encapsulated in nanoparticles for precise delivery, with a sugar solution (containing 5% sucrose, to be precise) to stabilize the drug. —Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 19 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary, from French sucre sugar

First Known Use

1857, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

sucrose

noun

su·​crose ˈsü-ˌkrōs 

: a sweet sugar obtained especially from sugarcane or sugar beets

Medical Definition

sucrose

noun

su·​crose ˈsü-ˌkrōs, -ˌkrōz 

: a sweet crystalline dextrorotatory nonreducing disaccharide sugar C₁₂H₂₂O₁₁ that occurs naturally in most plants and is obtained commercially especially from sugarcane or sugar beets