Fructan
/ˈfrʌk.tæn/noun
A fructan is a carbohydrate made of chains of fructose molecules, found in many plants.
Did you know?Fructan is a modern scientific term coined from Latin fructus “fruit” plus the chemical suffix -an, so its “secret” is less occult than alchemical: a word built to name a hidden sugar polymer inside plants.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
fructus
“enjoyment, produce, fruit”
Late Latin
Latin
fruct-
“fruit, produce (used as a learned combining form)”
19th Century
English
fructan
“a carbohydrate polymer made of fructose units”
Modern English
English
fructan
“a class of naturally occurring plant polysaccharides built from fructose”