Carbohydrates

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Organic compounds consisting of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen that are a major source of energy in the diet, play roles in cellular structure, and are found in various forms like sugars and starches
2. Complex organic substances made up of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen that provide energy to living organisms, are crucial for metabolic processes, and include sugars and polysaccharides
3. Biomolecules characterized by the presence of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen in specific ratios, serving as essential energy sources and structural components in biological systems, including both simple and complex forms

Etymology: The name records a chemical mistake. Early chemists analysed these compounds and found they contained carbon, hydrogen and oxygen in ratios that looked like carbon combined with water, with the general formula Cn(H2O)n. Because of that pattern they were thought to be hydrates of carbon, and the name was built on that belief. The word is a compound of "carbo-", from Latin "carbō" meaning charcoal or coal, and "hydrate", from French "hydrate", itself formed from Greek "hudro-", combining form of "hudōr", water. The "hydrate" element carries the watery part of the picture, while "carbo-" supplies the carbon. Both parts entered English as technical coinages in chemistry, so the word reflects a scientific theory of its time rather than an ancient classification. The chemical idea behind the name was later abandoned, since these compounds are not really water bound to carbon. The name stayed, which is why it now sounds like a description of water content when it describes a family of sugars, starches and fibres.

Synonyms: sugars, starches, glucides, polysaccharides, monosaccharides