Definition

A type of simple sugar that has five carbon atoms in its structure, including sugars like ribose.

Example

Ribose is an important pentose sugar found in RNA.

Conversation

Have you ever heard of a pentose?

I think so, isn't it a type of sugar?

Yeah, it has five carbon atoms in its structure.

That's interesting! I didn't know there were different types of sugars like that.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Pentose → It is formed from "penta-" (from Greek "pente", meaning five) and "-ose" (a suffix used in chemistry to denote sugars). The word "pentose" refers to a sugar that contains five carbon atoms.

Memory Tip

Think of 'five' ('penta-') to remember that a pentose is a sugar with five carbon atoms.

Visually Confused Words