Definition

A type of carbohydrate made up of many sugar molecules linked together, which can be broken down into simpler sugars.

Example

Starch and cellulose are examples of polysaccharides found in plants.

Conversation

I was reading about carbohydrates and came across something called polysaccharide.

Oh really? What did you find interesting about it?

Well, it turns out that polysaccharides are made up of many sugar units.

That's cool! I didn't know they were so complex.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Polysaccharide → It is formed from "poly-" (from Greek "polus", meaning many) and "saccharum" (from Greek "sakkharon", meaning sugar). The word refers to a carbohydrate that consists of many sugar molecules linked together.

Memory Tip

Think of 'many' ('poly-') sugars ('saccharum') combined together — that's what polysaccharide means.

Visually Confused Words