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adenine

[ad-n-in, -een, -ahyn]

Origin

noun

Biochemistry. a purine base, C₅H₅N₅, one of the fundamental components of nucleic acids, as DNA, in which it forms a base pair with thymine, and RNA, in which it pairs with uracil. Symbol: A

Origin:
1880–85; < German Adenin; see aden-, -ine²

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Adenine is always a great word to know.

So is estrogen. Does it mean:

any of several major female sex hormones produced primarily by the ovarian follicles of females

positively charged elementary particle that is a fundamental constituent of all atomic nuclei

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Collins

World English Dictionary

adenine (ˈædənɪn, -ˌniːn, -ˌnaɪn)

—n
	a purine base present in tissues of all living organisms as a constituent of the nucleic acids DNA and RNA and of certain coenzymes; 6-aminopurine. Formula: C₅H₅N₅; melting pt: 360--365°C

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Etymonline

Word Origin & History

adenine

crystaline base, 1885, coined by Ger. physiologist/chemist Albrecht Kossel (1853-1927) from Gk. aden- "gland" + chem. suffix -ine. So called because it was derived from the pancreas.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage

Medical Dictionary

adenine ad·e·nine (ād'n-ēn', -ĭn)
n.
Abbr. A
A purine base that is a constituent of DNA and RNA and an important energy transport and storage component in cellular metabolism.

American Heritage

Science Dictionary

adenine

(ād'n-ēn') Pronunciation Key
A purine base that is a component of DNA and RNA, forming a base pair with thymine in DNA and with uracil in RNA. Adenine is also part of other biologically important compounds, such as ATP, NAD, and vitamin B-12, and occurs in tea. Chemical formula: C₅H₅N₅.

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nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate nucleoside nucleotide purine thymine

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