Dextrose
/ˈdɛk.stroʊs/noun
A simple sugar, specifically glucose, especially in commercial or medical contexts.
Did you know?Dextrose was coined in the 19th century from Latin dexter, meaning “right” or “on the right side,” because the molecule rotates polarized light in a rightward direction.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*deḱs-
“right; south”
Latin
Latin
dexter
“right-hand, favorable, skillful”
Early Modern Scientific Latin
Latin
dextrosa
“a right-rotating sugar”
19th Century
English
dextrose
“a name for glucose derived from its optical rotation”
Modern English
English
dextrose
“glucose, especially in purified or commercial form”
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