pyrimidine
noun
py·rim·i·dine
pī-ˈri-mə-ˌdēn 
pə-
1
: a feeble organic base C4H4N2 of penetrating odor
2
: a derivative of pyrimidine
especially
: a base (such as cytosine, thymine, or uracil) that is a constituent of DNA or RNA
Examples of pyrimidine in a Sentence
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Frozen in ice under ultraviolet radiation, high vacuum and low temperature, the pyrimidine turned into uracil, cytosine and thymine, major components of earthly DNA and RNA.
—
Sidney Perkowitz, Discover Magazine, 19 June 2017
The radiation and harsh temperatures broke down pyrimidine in the ice and formed new compounds related to life, such as uracil and cytosine.
—Sidney Perkowitz, Discover Magazine, 19 June 2017
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Sidney Perkowitz, Discover Magazine, 19 June 2017
The radiation and harsh temperatures broke down pyrimidine in the ice and formed new compounds related to life, such as uracil and cytosine.
—Sidney Perkowitz, Discover Magazine, 19 June 2017
Dictionary Entries Near pyrimidine
Cite this Entry
“Pyrimidine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pyrimidine. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
pyrimidine
noun
py·rim·i·dine
pī-ˈrim-ə-ˌdēn
pə-
: any of a group of bases including several (as cytosine and thymine) that are important parts of DNA or RNA
Medical Definition
pyrimidine
noun
py·rim·i·dine
pī-ˈrim-ə-ˌdēn, pə-
1
: a weakly basic organic compound C4H2N2 of penetrating odor that is composed of a single six-membered ring having four carbon atoms with nitrogen atoms in positions one and three
2
: a derivative of pyrimidine having its characteristic ring structure
especially
: a base (as cytosine, thymine, or uracil) that is a constituent of DNA or RNA
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