English word oligosaccharide comes from English oligo- (Few.), English saccharide
| Dictionary entry | Language | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| oligo- | English (eng) | Few. |
| saccharide | English (eng) | (carbohydrate) The unit structure of carbohydrates, of general formula CnH2nOn. Either the simple sugars or polymers such as starch and cellulose. The saccharides exist in either a ring or short chain conformation, and typically contain five or six carbon atoms. |
| oligosaccharide | English (eng) | (carbohydrate) a polysaccharide of low molecular weight, being a polymer of between three and seven monosaccharide units. |