Definition of "sorbitol" [sorbitol]

• A white, sweetish, crystalline alcohol, C6H8(OH)6, found in various berries and fruits or prepared synthetically and used as a flavoring agent, a sugar substitute for people with diabetes, and a moisturizer in cosmetics and other products. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "Some sugars are even harder to find and go by the name sorbitol, xylitol, mannitol, and malitol."
• "Ion exchange resins, mixed with a cathartic called sorbitol, have long been used to treat hyperkalemia."
• "Do be ware that sometimes, for instance, diabetic or sugar-free products contain something called sorbitol, which again, is a sugar alcohol level, but contained, excuse me, ingested in high amounts may affect your gastrointestinal tract and cause some discomfort."