fructose

noun

fruc·​tose ˈfrək-ˌtōs  ˈfrük-  ˈfru̇k- 

-ˌtōz

1

: a crystalline sugar C₆H₁₂O₆ sweeter and more soluble than glucose

2

: the very sweet levorotatory d-form of fructose that occurs especially in fruit juices and honey

called also fruit sugar, levulose

Examples of fructose in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Types Fructose intolerance can be classified into two main types: fructose malabsorption and hereditary fructose intolerance. —Devineé Lingo, M.s., Health, 1 Nov. 2024

Monosaccharides include glucose, fructose, and galactose. —Jillian Kubala, Health, 16 Oct. 2024

Maltodextrin and fructose may be inappropriate for people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or on a low-FODMAP diet. —Megan Nunn, Verywell Health, 10 Oct. 2024

People with lactose intolerance may experience more gas after eating dairy products, while people with a fructose intolerance likely notice extra gassy symptoms after consuming fructose-containing foods, like fruit juices and honey.5 4. —Cristina Mutchler, Health, 7 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin frūctus fruit entry 1 + -ose entry 2

Note: The term was apparently introduced by the British chemist William Allen Miller (1817-70) in Elements of Chemistry: Theoretical and Practical, Part III, Organic Chemistry (London, 1857), p. 57.

First Known Use

circa 1864, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

fructose

noun

fruc·​tose ˈfrək-ˌtōs  ˈfru̇k- 

: a very sweet sugar that dissolves easily and occurs especially in fruit juices and honey

Medical Definition

fructose

noun

fruc·​tose ˈfrək-ˌtōs  ˈfrük-  ˈfru̇k- 

-ˌtōz

1

: an optically active sugar C₆H₁₂O₆ that differs from glucose in having a ketonic rather than an aldehydic carbonyl group

2

: the very sweet soluble levorotatory D-form of fructose that occurs especially in fruit juices and honey

called also levulose