Real Dictionary

sorbitol in American English
a sweet, white, odorless, crystalline alcohol, C6H8(OH)6, found in certain berries and fruits, used as a moistening agent in lotions or creams, as a sugar substitute, etc.
noun: a white, crystalline, sweet, water-soluble powder, C6H8(OH)6, occurring in cherries, plums, pears, seaweed, and many berries, obtained by the breakdown of dextrose and used as a sugar substitute for diabetics and in the manufacture of vitamin C, synthetic

sorbitol in British English
noun: a white water-soluble crystalline alcohol with a sweet taste, found in certain fruits and berries and manufactured by the catalytic hydrogenation of sucrose: used as a sweetener (E420) and in the manufacture of ascorbic acid and synthetic resins. Formula:

sorbitol in the Pharmaceutical Industry
noun: Sorbitol is an alcohol used in pharmaceutical preparations as a sweetener, and in tablets as an excipient, humectant (= a substance added to another substance to keep it moist), and stabilizer.