lactose

noun lac·tose \ˈlak-ˌtōs, -ˌtōz\

chemistry : a type of sugar that is present in milk

Full Definition of LACTOSE

: a disaccharide sugar C₁₂H₂₂O₁₁ that is present in milk and yields glucose and galactose upon hydrolysis and yields especially lactic acid upon fermentation

See lactose defined for English-language learners

See lactose defined for kids

Origin of LACTOSE

International Scientific Vocabulary

First Known Use: 1857

Rhymes with LACTOSE

arkose, Carlos, cosmos, crustose, cymose, dextrose, engross, erose, fructose, globose, glucose, jocose, maltose, mannose, morose, mythos, nodose, pappose, pentose, pilose, plumose, ramose, rhamnose, ribose, rugose, schistose, setose, spinose, strigose, sucrose, Sukkoth, triose, up close, vadose, verbose, viscose

LACTOSE Defined for Kids

lactose

noun lac·tose \ˈlak-ˌtōs\

Definition of LACTOSE for Kids

: a sugar that is found in milk

Medical Dictionary

lactose

noun lac·tose \ˈlak-ˌtōs, -ˌtōz\

Medical Definition of LACTOSE

: a disaccharide sugar C₁₂H₂₂O₁₁ that is present in milk, yields glucose and galactose upon hydrolysis, yields especially lactic acid upon fermentation, and is used chiefly in foods, medicines, and culture media (as for the manufacture of penicillin)—called also milk sugar