carbohydrate
//kɑːbəʊˈhaɪdɹeɪt//
Forms
- Plural
- carbohydrates
Definitions
1.A sugar, starch, or cellulose that is a food source of energy for an animal or plant.
- These microbes are primarily responsible for breaking down cellulose and other carbohydrates into volatile fatty acids (VFAs).
- Oxygen levels on Earth skyrocketed 2.4 billion years ago, when cyanobacteria evolved photosynthesis: the ability to convert water and carbon dioxide into carbohydrates and waste oxygen using solar energy.
2.Any food rich in starch or other carbohydrates.(colloquial)
- I'm cutting down on carbohydrates like bread and pasta.
Frequency
Overall
Rare· #4443
By learning goal
- Everyday conversation
- Rare
- General reading & writing
- Rare
- Academic
- Rare
- Literature
- Rare
Related words
Synonyms
Etymology
From their general formula Cₙ(H₂O)ₙ; they were once thought to be hydrates of carbon.