Meaning & use
glycoside
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Meaning
nouncountablechemistry
A compound in which a sugar molecule is chemically linked to a non-sugar part, common in plants.
Grammar: Countable: foxglove contains a glycoside; many glycosides are bitter.
Patterns
- a glycoside of something
- plant glycosides
Digitalis is a glycoside found in the foxglove plant.
Some glycosides are used as heart medicines.
Enzymes break the glycoside into a sugar and another molecule.
Word forms
| plural | glycosides |
|---|
Common combinations
- cardiac glycoside
- A cardiac glycoside can slow and strengthen the heartbeat.
- plant glycoside
- The bitter taste comes from a plant glycoside.
- hydrolyze a glycoside
- Enzymes hydrolyze a glycoside to release sugar.
- extract a glycoside
- Chemists extracted a glycoside from the leaves.
- natural glycoside
- Stevia leaves contain a natural glycoside that tastes sweet.
Synonyms and how they differ
- sugar compound
- Sugar compound is a vague everyday phrase, whereas glycoside names a specific chemical structure.
- glucoside
- Glucoside is a glycoside whose sugar part is glucose, so it is narrower.
Word family
- glycosidic adjective
- relating to the bond that links sugar to another part
- glycosidase noun
- an enzyme that breaks glycoside bonds
- glycogen noun
- a stored form of sugar in animals
- glycolysis noun
- the process of breaking down glucose
Commonly confused: glycoside or glucoside? glycoside or glycogen?
glycoside vs glucoside
A glucoside contains specifically glucose; a glycoside may contain any sugar.
glycoside vs glycogen
Glycogen is a long chain of glucose used for energy storage, not a glycoside.
Practice
Which describes a glycoside?
Choose one answer.
A glycoside is a sugar bonded to a non-sugar part. The other options are different types of substances, though fat might tempt learners who link glyco- with energy.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “glycoside”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.