a monosaccharide sugar that has several forms; an important source of physiological energy
"Glucose is a monosaccharide sugar that serves as an important source of physiological energy for the body."
A simple monosaccharide (sugar) with a molecular formula of C₆H₁₂O₆; it is a principle source of energy for cellular metabolism.
"Glucose, a simple sugar that serves as the primary fuel for cellular metabolism, provides essential energy to every living cell in the body."
In plain English: Glucose is your body's main source of energy that comes from food and keeps you going throughout the day.
"The doctor told me to add more glucose to my diet because I was feeling very weak after surgery."
Usage: Glucose refers specifically to the primary sugar found in blood and used by cells for immediate energy, distinct from other sugars like fructose or sucrose that require conversion first. It serves as the standard measure for monitoring blood sugar levels rather than a general term for all carbohydrates.
The name comes from the Ancient Greek word for "grape juice" or wine, which was adopted into English via French in 1839 to describe this sweet sugar found abundantly in grapes and honey. Although it looks like a compound of gluco- and -ose, that suffix is actually derived from glucose itself rather than being an independent building block.