Standard Lemma guide

lactulose

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈlak.tjʊ.ləʊz/
  • General-American: /ˈlæk.t(j)ʊˌloʊs/

1

noun

Meaning 1

A synthetic disaccharide C12H22O11 consisting of galactose and fructose units, used as a laxative for chronic constipation and as an acidifier to reduce blood ammonia levels causing neurological symptoms in advanced liver disease. It is used in solution for oral or rectal administration.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: chemistry, medicine, natural-sciences, organic-chemistry, pharmacology, physical-sciences, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree English lact- Proto-Indo-European *ḱel-der. Latin cella Proto-Indo-European *-lós Proto-Indo-European *-elós Proto-Italic *-elos Latin -ula Latin cellulabor. French cellule French -ose French cellulosebor. English (cell)ulose English lactulose From lact- + (cell)ulose.

Across languages

Translations

4 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: laktuloosi — synthetic disaccharide
  • French: lactulose — synthetic disaccharide
  • German: Lactulose — synthetic disaccharide
  • Hungarian: laktulóz — synthetic disaccharide