supercoil

American

[soo-per-koil] / ˈsu pərˌkɔɪl /

noun

Biochemistry.

superhelix.

Other Word Forms

supercoiled adjective

Etymology

Origin of supercoil

First recorded in 1965–70; super- + coil ¹

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The coiled telephone cord and the DNA double helix that stores the genetic material in every cell in the body have one thing in common; they both supercoil, or coil about themselves, and tangle in ways that can be difficult to undo.

From Science Daily

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023