nucleotide

noun

nu·​cle·​o·​tide ˈnü-klē-ə-ˌtīd 

ˈnyü-

: any of several compounds that consist of a ribose or deoxyribose sugar joined to a purine or pyrimidine base and to a phosphate group and that are the basic structural units of nucleic acids (such as RNA and DNA) compare nucleoside

Examples of nucleotide in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In the absence of the modern proteins that make copies of genes inside cells, the prebiotic world would have relied on simple chemical reactions between nucleotides – the building blocks of genetic material – to make copies of RNA. —Discover Magazine, 17 Oct. 2024

For comparison, an entire human genome contains 3 billion nucleotides. —Michael C. Schatz, IEEE Spectrum, 27 June 2013

Understanding how nucleotides came together to form a long chain of RNA is a crucial step in deciphering prebiotic evolution. —Discover Magazine, 17 Oct. 2024

The subglacial rock contained cosmogenic nucleotides that prove that Summit’s surface was exposed to the elements for an extended period. —Carly Miller, Forbes, 27 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary, irregular from nucle- + -ide

First Known Use

1908, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing nucleotide

• diphosphopyridine nucleotide
• triphosphopyridine nucleotide

Kids Definition

nucleotide

noun

nu·​cle·​o·​tide ˈn(y)ü-klē-ə-ˌtīd 

: any of the basic units of structure of DNA or RNA that consist of a base (as adenine, cytosine, guanine, or thymine) joined to a sugar (as deoxyribose) with five carbon atoms in a molecule and to a phosphate group

Medical Definition

nucleotide

noun

nu·​cle·​o·​tide ˈn(y)ü-klē-ə-ˌtīd 

: any of several compounds that consist of a ribose or deoxyribose sugar joined to a purine or pyrimidine base and to a phosphate group and that are the basic structural units of RNA and DNA compare nucleoside