Monosaccharide is another term for a simple sugar, such as glucose, which is not linked to any other sugars.
Common monosaccharides include:
| Glucose | Mannose |
| Fructose | Ribose |
| Galactose | Erythrose |
Monosaccharides may be called trioses, tetroses, pentoses, hexoses, heptoses, or octoses, depending on whether they have 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8 carbons, respectively, in them.
Monosaccharides containing an aldehyde group are called aldoses.
Monosaccharides containing a ketone group are called ketoses.
Monosaccharides that form five member rings are called furanoses.
Monosaccharides that form six member rings are called pyranoses.