carb

IPA/kɑːb/
KK[kˈɑrb]IPA/kɑːrb/

carb — noun

  • carbsingular
  • carbsplural

1. a short, informal way of referring to carbohydrates — the starches and sugars in

1.nounB1
Definition

a short, informal way of referring to carbohydrates — the starches and sugars in foods such as bread, rice, pasta, and potatoes that provide your body with energy

Example

Leila is cutting back on carbs and eating more vegetables for dinner these days.

collocation: cut back on carbs

Pasta and rice are both high in carbs, which gives athletes energy before a race.

adjective pattern: high in carbs / low in carbs

Common collocations
  • cut back on carbs
  • low in carbs
  • high in carbs
  • net carbs
  • carbs per serving
  • complex carbs
  • simple carbs
  • refined carbs
Synonyms
  • carbohydrate

    the full, more formal term for the same substance

  • starch

    a specific type of carbohydrate found in potatoes, rice, and grains; narrower than 'carbs'

  • sugar

    a simple carbohydrate; differs from complex carbs (starches) in chemical structure and how the body digests it

Antonyms
  • protein

    the other main energy-providing nutrient group, not a carb

  • fat

    another energy nutrient; often contrasted with carbs in diet discussions

Usage Note

Almost always used in plural form (carbs) when referring to food categories. The singular (a carb / this carb) is less common and usually refers to one type of carbohydrate food.

Common Mistakes

I need to eat less carb.
I need to eat fewer carbs.
carb is usually plural when talking about carbohydrate foods in general.

carb — combining form

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

'Carb' is an informal shortening of 'carbohydrate' common in diet and nutrition conversations. 'Carbohydrate' is the full scientific term used in formal writing, medical settings, and food labels. 'Starch' refers specifically to complex carbohydrates found in grains, potatoes, and legumes — it is a subtype of carbohydrate, not a synonym for the whole category. 'Sugar' is another subtype: simple carbohydrates that the body digests quickly. In everyday speech, 'carbs' often covers both starches and sugars (e.g., 'pasta has carbs' includes the starch; 'candy has carbs' includes the sugar). A low-carb diet restricts both, whereas a low-sugar diet only limits the simple kind.

carb ↗carbohydrate ↗starch ↗sugar ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • cut back on carbs
  • low in carbs
  • high in carbs
  • watch your carbs

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'carb' is a 20th-century clipping of 'carbohydrate', which itself was formed in the 1800s from the French 'carbohydrate' (carbon + water), reflecting the fact that carbohydrate molecules consist of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen in the same ratio as water. The combining form 'carb-' has separate roots in Latin 'carbo' (charcoal, ember), entering English through chemical terminology in the 19th century.