nucleoside

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/ˈn(j)u(ː)kliəˌsaɪd/US/ˈn(j)u(ː)klioʊˌsaɪd/

noun

an organic molecule in which a nitrogenous heterocyclic base (or nucleobase), which can be either a double-ringed purine or a single-ringed pyrimidine, is covalently attached to a five-carbon pentose sugar (deoxyribose in DNA or ribose in RNA). When the phosphate group is covalently attached to the pentose sugar, it forms a nucleotide.

Less commonScrabble 13
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Meanings

nounnucleoside (plural nucleosides)

plural nucleosides

  1. biochemistryan organic molecule in which a nitrogenous heterocyclic base (or nucleobase), which can be either a double-ringed purine or a single-ringed pyrimidine, is covalently attached to a five-carbon pentose sugar (deoxyribose in DNA or ribose in RNA). When the phosphate group is covalently attached to the pentose sugar, it forms a nucleotide.

Origin

Probably from nucleo- + (glyc)oside.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 核苷
  • 核苷 (hégān)organic molecule
Finnish nukleosidi
  • nukleosidiorganic molecule
Italian nucleoside
  • nucleosideorganic molecule
Japanese ヌクレオシド
  • ヌクレオシド (nukureoshido)organic molecule
Polish nukleozyd
  • nukleozydorganic molecule
Turkish nükleozit
  • nükleozitorganic molecule
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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