oligosaccharide

noun Chemistry.

1. any carbohydrate yielding few monosaccharides on hydrolysis, as two, three, or four.

noun

1. any one of a class of carbohydrates consisting of a few monosaccharide units linked togetherCompare polysaccharide

n.

1. A carbohydrate that consists of a relatively small number of monosaccharides.

1. A carbohydrate consisting of a relatively small and specifiable number of monosaccharides joined together. Lactose, maltose, and sucrose are oligosaccharides consisting of two simple sugars. Raffinose is an oligosaccharide consisting of three simple sugars. Compare monosaccharide polysaccharide.