nucleobase

N1U1C3L1E1O1B3A1S1E1

noun

The base of a nucleic acid, such as thymine, uracil, adenine, cytosine and guanine.

Similar
base
OriginEnglish base ← Middle English bas ← Old French bas →
UncommonScrabble 14
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Meanings

nounnucleobase (plural nucleobases)

plural nucleobases

  1. biochemistryThe base of a nucleic acid, such as thymine, uracil, adenine, cytosine and guanine.

    Synonyms: base

Synonyms & antonyms

nounThe base of a nucleic acid, such as thymine, uracil, adenine, cytosine and guanine.

Similar
base

Origin

  1. Proto-Italic*knuks
  2. Latinnux
  3. Latinnucleu
  4. Englishnucleus
  5. Englishnucleo-
  6. Late Latinbassus
  7. Old Frenchbas
  8. Middle Englishbas
  9. Englishbase
  10. Englishnucleobase

From nucleo- + base.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 核碱基
  • 核碱基 (hé jiǎnjī)the nitrogenous base of a nucleic acid
Polish zasada azotowa
  • zasada azotowathe nitrogenous base of a nucleic acid
Cite this entry
APA

nucleobase. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nucleobase

MLA

“nucleobase.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nucleobase. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “nucleobase,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nucleobase.

Source: nucleobase on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.