Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A sweet white crystalline alcohol derived from xylose, C5H12O5, used in gum and oral health products to inhibit bacteria that cause caries and as a dietary sugar substitute.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun chemistry a pentahydric alcohol, C5H12O5, penta-hydroxy pentane; derived from xylose; used as a sweetener

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[xyl(ose) + (sorb)itol.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Latin xylos ("wood or cotton-tree") + -itol ("anhydric alcohol")

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word xylitol.

Examples

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.