What does pentose mean?
A pentose is a simple sugar, or monosaccharide, whose molecules contain five carbon atoms. The term is primarily used in biochemistry and carbohydrate chemistry, where pentoses are classified further according to their structure; for example, ribose and arabinose are aldopentoses, while xylulose is a ketopentose. Ribose is especially important because it forms part of the sugar-phosphate backbone of RNA, the molecule that helps translate DNA instructions into cellular activity. Pentoses can also occur as components of larger substances, including glycosides and some polysaccharides, although most dietary carbohydrates are built from six-carbon sugars. In technical writing, “pentose” identifies the whole class of five-carbon monosaccharides, while individual compounds generally have their own specific names. The word is uncommon outside scientific and educational contexts.
nounA monosaccharide, or simple sugar, containing five carbon atoms per molecule. Pentoses include ribose and arabinose and occur in nucleic acids, sugars, and various glycosides.
- Any monosaccharide containing five carbon atoms.
"Ribose is a pentose involved in the structure of RNA."
"Ribose is the pentose sugar found in RNA."
"The researcher identified the compound as an aldopentose."
The plural is used when referring to a class of five-carbon monosaccharides.
"Several pentoses occur naturally in nucleic acids and plant tissues."
Pentoses are five-carbon sugars with a vital role in life: ribose helps build the RNA that carries genetic instructions.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does pentose come from?
The term combines the Greek combining form penta-, meaning “five,” with the suffix -ose, used in the names of sugars and related carbohydrate compounds. The numerical element reflects the defining chemical feature of these molecules: five carbon atoms. The compound is used in modern biochemical nomenclature to distinguish five-carbon monosaccharides from hexoses and other carbohydrate groups.
Related word forms
How pentose is actually used
This is a technical term used chiefly in biochemistry, carbohydrate chemistry, and molecular biology. It is not normally used in everyday speech.