melitose: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Rare/Very TechnicalTechnical/Scientific
Quick answer
What does “melitose” mean?
A trisaccharide sugar, also known as raffinose, found in some plants and legumes.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A trisaccharide sugar, also known as raffinose, found in some plants and legumes.
A carbohydrate that can act as a prebiotic. It is indigestible by humans until broken down by intestinal bacteria, often leading to flatulence.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant regional differences in usage. Both varieties use the term identically within technical contexts.
Connotations
Neutral, purely scientific. No cultural connotations.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in both regions, limited to specialised fields.
Grammar
How to Use “melitose” in a Sentence
The [FOOD] contains melitose.Melitose is found in [PLANT].[BACTERIA] ferment melitose.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “melitose” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The melitose fraction was isolated.
- Melitose-rich legumes
American English
- The melitose concentration was measured.
- A melitose-containing syrup
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Potentially in specialised food manufacturing or supplement industries, e.g., 'We need to analyse the melitose levels for the nutritional label.'
Academic
Primary context. Used in biochemistry, plant biology, and nutritional science papers and textbooks.
Everyday
Virtually never used. A layperson would say 'hard-to-digest sugars in beans' instead.
Technical
Core context. Precise term in food chemistry, analytical reports, and research on legume digestion.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “melitose”
Neutral
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “melitose”
- Misspelling as 'mellitose' or 'melitosis'.
- Using it in non-technical conversation.
- Pronouncing the final '-ose' as 'ohz' instead of 'ohs'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, table sugar is sucrose. Melitose (raffinose) is a more complex trisaccharide that humans cannot digest directly.
It is found in legumes (beans, lentils), certain whole grains, and some vegetables like cabbage and Brussels sprouts.
It acts as a prebiotic, feeding beneficial gut bacteria, but can also cause gas and bloating in some individuals.
For most people, no. Foods containing melitose are nutritious. Soaking and cooking beans can reduce their melitose content. Those with severe digestive issues like IBS may need to moderate intake.
A trisaccharide sugar, also known as raffinose, found in some plants and legumes.
Melitose is usually technical/scientific in register.
Melitose: in British English it is pronounced /ˈmɛlɪtəʊs/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈmɛlɪtoʊs/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think 'MELI' (like honey/melissa) + 'TOSE' (like lactose/fructose). A sugar whose name suggests sweetness but is less digestible.
Conceptual Metaphor
N/A. A literal, concrete scientific term.
Practice
Quiz
In which field is the term 'melitose' most commonly used?