oligosaccharide - any of the carbohydrates that yield only a few monosaccharide molecules on complete hydrolysiscarbohydrate, saccharide, sugar - an essential structural component of living cells and source of energy for animals; includes simple sugars with small molecules as well as macromolecular substances; are classified according to the number of monosaccharide groups they contain disaccharide - any of a variety of carbohydrates that yield two monosaccharide molecules on complete hydrolysis tetrasaccharide - any of a variety of carbohydrates that yield four monosaccharide molecules on complete hydrolysis trisaccharide - any of a variety of carbohydrates that yield three monosaccharide molecules on complete hydrolysis |