Definition

A type of sugar made up of two simple sugars, formed from breaking down cellulose.

Example

Cellobiose is often used in research related to plant materials and digestion.

Conversation

Have you ever heard of cellobiose?

No, I haven't. What is it?

It's a type of sugar that comes from the breakdown of cellulose.

That sounds interesting! I didn't know there were so many types of sugars.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Cellobiose is formed from "cellulose" (from Latin *cellula*, meaning small room or chamber) and "-biose" (from Greek *bios*, meaning life). The word refers to a sugar derived from cellulose, which is a component of plant cell walls, thus relating to the life of plant cells.

Memory Tip

Think of 'cellulose' as the material from plant cells and '-biose' meaning life, which helps you remember that 'cellobiose' is a sugar that comes from the life of plant cells.

Visually Confused Words