Adjacent Words

purine definitions

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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: any of several bases that are derivatives of purine
2: a colorless crystalline organic base containing nitrogen; the parent compound of various biologically important substances

Merriam Webster's

noun Etymology: German Purin, from Latin purus pure + New Latin uricus uric (from English uric) + German -in ²-ine Date: 1898 1. a crystalline base C₅H₄N₄ that is the parent of compounds of the uric-acid group 2. a derivative of purine; especially a base (as adenine or guanine) that is a constituent of DNA or RNA

Britannica Concise

Any of a class of heterocyclic compounds with a two-ring structure composed of carbon and nitrogen atoms. The simplest member, purine itself (C5H4N4), is not common, but its derivatives with the structure are. Examples are uric acid, caffeine, and two of the nucleotides in nucleic acids, guanine and adenine.

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. 1 Chem. an organic nitrogenous base forming uric acid on oxidation. 2 any of a group of derivatives with purine-like structure, including the nucleotide constituents adenine and guanine. Etymology: G Purin L purus pure + uricum uric acid + -in -INE(4)