lactose Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a sugar comprising one glucose molecule linked to a galactose molecule; occurs only in milk
    milk sugar.
    • cow's milk contains about 4.7% lactose

WordNet


Lac"tose` noun
Definitions
  1. (Physiol. Chem.) Sugar of milk or milk sugar; a crystalline sugar present in milk, and separable from the whey by evaporation and crystallization. It has a slightly sweet taste, is dextrorotary, and is much less soluble in water than either cane sugar or glucose. Formerly called lactin.
  2. (Chem.) See Galactose.

Webster 1913