-
- To save this word, you'll need to log in.
deoxyribose
noun
de·oxy·ri·bose
(ˌ)dē-ˌäk-si-ˈrī-ˌbōs
-ˌbōz
: a pentose sugar C5H10O4 that is a structural element of DNA
Examples of deoxyribose in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Its sides are chains of a sugar called deoxyribose (the D in DNA).
—Ed Yong, Discover Magazine, 19 Apr. 2012
To create XNAs, Holliger and his team replaced the deoxyribose with alternative synthetic chemical ring structures such as arabinose or cyclohexene.
—Kat McGowan, Discover Magazine, 16 Jan. 2013
And their discovery of much more ribose than of any deoxyribose (the D in DNA) points to the theory that RNA is in fact the ancestor of DNA.
—Caroline Delbert, Popular Mechanics, 19 Nov. 2019
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of
Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback
about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
International Scientific Vocabulary
First Known Use
1938, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near deoxyribose
Cite this Entry
“Deoxyribose.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deoxyribose. Accessed 14 Nov. 2024.
Kids Definition
deoxyribose
noun
de·oxy·ri·bose
dē-ˌäk-sē-ˈrī-ˌbōs
: a sugar that has five carbon atoms and four oxygen atoms in each molecule and is part of DNA compare ribose
Medical Definition
deoxyribose
noun
de·oxy·ri·bose
(ˌ)dē-ˌäk-si-ˈrī-ˌbōs, -ˌbōz
variants
also desoxyribose
: a pentose sugar C5H10O4 that is a structural element of DNA
More from Merriam-Webster on deoxyribose
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about deoxyribose
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share