polysaccharide
noun
poly·sac·cha·ride
ˌpä-lē-ˈsa-kə-ˌrīd 
: a carbohydrate that can be decomposed by hydrolysis into two or more molecules of monosaccharides
especially
: one (such as cellulose, starch, or glycogen) containing many monosaccharide units and marked by complexity
Examples of polysaccharide in a Sentence
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The nourishing spray uses rice, grape, raspberry, and bamboo waters, as well as softening glycerin, moisturizing shea butter, and film-forming polysaccharides, that, when blended all together, bring hair back to its best condition.
—
Sophia Panych, Allure, 16 Sep. 2025
In a study out of Zhejiang University of Technology, scientists extracted fucoidan, a sugar-rich sulfated polysaccharide found in Saccharina japonica, also known as sweet kelp – a type of edible brown seaweed used widely throughout Japan and Korea.
—New Atlas, 24 Aug. 2025
This deeply moisturizing ceramide serum will do just the trick with a blend of squalane and beta glucan (which is a polysaccharide that helps boost the skin barrier), plus fatty acids to help lock in hydration all day long.
—Alanna Martine Kilkeary, Glamour, 4 Aug. 2025
The scales of chitin (a polysaccharide common to insects) in butterfly wings, for example, are arranged like roof tiles.
—Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 30 July 2025
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Sophia Panych, Allure, 16 Sep. 2025
In a study out of Zhejiang University of Technology, scientists extracted fucoidan, a sugar-rich sulfated polysaccharide found in Saccharina japonica, also known as sweet kelp – a type of edible brown seaweed used widely throughout Japan and Korea.
—New Atlas, 24 Aug. 2025
This deeply moisturizing ceramide serum will do just the trick with a blend of squalane and beta glucan (which is a polysaccharide that helps boost the skin barrier), plus fatty acids to help lock in hydration all day long.
—Alanna Martine Kilkeary, Glamour, 4 Aug. 2025
The scales of chitin (a polysaccharide common to insects) in butterfly wings, for example, are arranged like roof tiles.
—Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 30 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for polysaccharide
Cite this Entry
“Polysaccharide.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/polysaccharide. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
polysaccharide
noun
poly·sac·cha·ride
ˈpäl-i-ˈsak-ə-ˌrīd
: a carbohydrate that can be broken down into two or more small sugar molecules
Medical Definition
polysaccharide
noun
poly·sac·cha·ride
-ˈsak-ə-ˌrīd
: a carbohydrate that can be decomposed by hydrolysis into two or more molecules of monosaccharides
especially
: one (as cellulose, starch, or glycogen) containing many monosaccharide units and marked by complexity
called also glycan
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