deoxyribose

noun

de·​oxy·​ri·​bose (ˌ)dē-ˌäk-si-ˈrī-ˌbōs How to pronounce deoxyribose (audio)
-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 programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'deoxyribose.' Any 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

Time Traveler
The first known use of deoxyribose was in 1938

Dictionary Entries Near deoxyribose

Cite this Entry

“Deoxyribose.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deoxyribose. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

deoxyribose

noun
de·​oxy·​ri·​bose dē-ˌäk-sē-ˈrī-ˌbōs How to pronounce deoxyribose (audio)
: 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 How to pronounce deoxyribose (audio)
variants also desoxyribose
: a pentose sugar C5H10O4 that is a structural element of DNA

More from Merriam-Webster on deoxyribose

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!