nucleotide

American  

[noo-klee-uh-tahyd, nyoo-] / ˈnu kli əˌtaɪd, ˈnyu- /

noun

Biochemistry.

1. any of a group of molecules that, when linked together, form the building blocks of DNA or RNA: composed of a phosphate group, the bases adenine, cytosine, guanine, and thymine, and a pentose sugar, in RNA the thymine base being replaced by uracil.

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nucleotide British  

/ ˈnjuːklɪəˌtaɪd /

noun

1. biochem a compound consisting of a nucleoside linked to phosphoric acid. Nucleic acids are made up of long chains (polynucleotides) of such compounds

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nucleotide Scientific  

/ no̅o̅′klē-ə-tīd′ /

1. Any of a group of organic compounds composed of a nucleoside linked to a phosphate group. Nucleotides are the basic building blocks of nucleic acids.

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Other Word Forms

• internucleotide adjective

Etymology

Origin of nucleotide

First recorded in 1905–10; alteration of nucleoside

Compare meaning

How does nucleotide compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• nucleoside vs. nucleotide

Example Sentences

This enables the essential information defining an organism’s core features—represented in the nucleotide sequences of DNA—to be passed down to its offspring.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 26, 2025

The researchers didn’t attempt to redesign the genome one nucleotide at a time.

From Science Magazine • Nov. 8, 2023

Additionally, the analysis of nucleotide sequences revealed that three out of the five strains were genetically distinct from M. minuta.

From Science Daily • Oct. 26, 2023

For example, exposure to water can cause a chemical reaction called deamination that changes the nucleotide cytosine such that it appears to be the nucleotide thymine upon analysis.

From Scientific American • Aug. 25, 2023

Seen this way, the structure resembles a spiral staircase with the base pairs forming the steps. helical symmetry, the locations of the atoms in one nucleotide would automatically generate the other positions.

From "Double Helix" by James D. Watson