Definition of NUCLEOTIDE

nucleotide

Plural: nucleotides

Noun

  • a phosphoric ester of a nucleoside; the basic structural unit of nucleic acids (DNA or RNA)
  • The monomer constituting DNA or RNA biopolymer molecules. Each nucleotide consists of a nitrogenous heterocyclic base (or nucleobase), which can be either a double-ringed purine or a single-ringed pyrimidine; a five-carbon pentose sugar (deoxyribose in DNA or ribose in RNA); and a phosphate group.

Origin / Etymology

From nucleo- (“relating to the nucleus”) + -ide (“chemical suffix”).

Synonyms

base

Scrabble Score: 13

nucleotide: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
nucleotide: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
nucleotide: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 17

nucleotide: valid Words With Friends Word