Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
A disaccharide is a type of carbohydrate made up of two monosaccharides, which are simple sugars, joined together by a glycosidic bond. It serves as an energy source and is involved in various biological processes.
Related terms
Monosaccharide: The simplest form of carbohydrate that cannot be hydrolyzed to a simpler sugar, serving as the building blocks for disaccharides and polysaccharides.
Glycosidic Bond: A type of covalent bond that joins a carbohydrate molecule to another group, which can be another carbohydrate.
Polysaccharide: Complex carbohydrates composed of three or more monosaccharides linked together, used for storage and structural purposes in organisms