xylose

Term: xylose

Literally meaning: “wood sugar”

Origin: Anc Greek

ξύλον/xylon(=wood) >ξύω/xyo(=scrape, rub off)

*-ose = suffix for sugars like gluc-ose

Coined/History

Xylose first first isolated from wood and named for it. 

Definition

Xylose is a monosaccharite (sugar) with five carbon atoms (pentose)  and an aldehyde functional group.