adenosine

noun

aden·​o·​sine ə-ˈde-nə-ˌsēn 

-sən

: a nucleoside C₁₀H₁₃N₅O₄ that is a constituent of RNA and yields adenine and ribose on hydrolysis

Examples of adenosine in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Caffeine also relieves pain by interacting with adenosine receptors, which are key players in the body’s pain perception mechanisms. —Danielle Wilhour, The Conversation, 28 May 2025

Caffeine wakes you up by inhibiting the ability of the natural sleep chemical adenosine from binding to its receptors. —Laura Dorwart, Verywell Health, 4 Apr. 2025

Caffeine boosts energy by blocking a neurotransmitter, called adenosine, from binding to receptors in the brain. —Maggie O'Neill, Verywell Health, 25 Apr. 2025

At that point, rather than consulting someone who obsesses over how caffeine focuses us by blocking adenosine receptors in the basal forebrain, philosophers should hold sway. —Jessica Riskin, The New York Review of Books, 3 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from German Adenosin, blend of Adenin adenine and Ribose ribose

First Known Use

circa 1909, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing adenosine

• adenosine diphosphate
• adenosine monophosphate
• adenosine triphosphatase
• adenosine triphosphate

Rhymes for adenosine

• acetylene
• amphetamine
• anthropocene
• antipyrine
• apomorphine
• apoprotein
• aquamarine
• arsphenamine
• azobenzene
• buprenorphine
• chlorobenzene
• chlorpromazine

Medical Definition

adenosine

noun

aden·​o·​sine ə-ˈden-ə-ˌsēn, -sən 

: a nucleoside C₁₀H₁₃N₅O₄ that is a constituent of RNA yielding adenine and ribose on hydrolysis