What does saccharin mean?
Saccharin is a synthetic, non-nutritive sweetener used to give foods and beverages a sweet taste without contributing calories in the way ordinary sugar does. It is chemically known as benzoic sulfimide and is commonly encountered in tabletop sweeteners, diet soft drinks, and other products marketed as sugar-free. The name comes through German from Latin saccharum, “sugar,” ultimately borrowed from Greek sákcharon. Although saccharin has a strong sweet taste, its use is sometimes criticized because some people describe its aftertaste as bitter or metallic. The related adjective “saccharine” can mean excessively sweet, but it is also used figuratively to describe language or behavior that is overly sentimental or appealing. Saccharin remains an important term in discussions of food science, nutrition, and artificial sweeteners.
nounA synthetic compound used as a non-nutritive sweetener, especially in food, beverages, and tabletop products. It is also known as benzoic sulfimide and is the basis of many artificial sweeteners.
- A synthetic compound used as a non-nutritive sweetener in foods and beverages.
- The chemical compound benzoic sulfimide, used as the basis for saccharin-based sweeteners.
"The beverage contains saccharin rather than sugar, giving it a sweet taste without adding calories."
"Saccharin is used to sweeten some diet soft drinks and tabletop sweeteners."
"The scientist compared the sweetness of saccharin with that of ordinary sugar."
The plural is grammatically possible but uncommon; the compound is usually referred to as saccharin in the mass.
"The laboratory compared several saccharins for sweetness and aftertaste."
Saccharin was the first artificial sweetener ever widely used, introducing a sweet taste without the calories of ordinary sugar.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does saccharin come from?
The word saccharin was formed in the late 19th century from the German word Sackerin and the chemical suffix -in. Its root ultimately comes through Latin saccharum, meaning “sugar,” from Greek sákcharon, which referred to a sweet substance or sweetening compound. The same broad root appears in saccharose, sucrose, and saccharify.
Related word forms
How saccharin is actually used
Saccharin is commonly used as a mass noun. The adjective “saccharine,” although closely related in spelling, has a separate meaning: excessively sweet or syrupy, and sometimes falsely attractive or sentimental.
Easily confused with saccharin
Saccharin is a synthetic non-nutritive sweetener, whereas sucrose is the naturally occurring sugar found in sugarcane and sugar beets.