Illustration of DNA
- A molecular model
- 1 hydrogen
- 2 oxygen
- 3 carbon in the helical phosphate ester chains
- 4 carbon and nitrogen in the cross-linked purine and pyrimidine bases
- 5 phosphorus
- B double helix
DNA
noun
: any of various nucleic acids that are usually the molecular basis of heredity, are constructed of a double helix held together by hydrogen bonds between purine and pyrimidine bases (see base entry 1 sense 6b) which project inward from two chains containing alternate links of deoxyribose and phosphate, and that in eukaryotes are localized chiefly in cell nuclei compare recombinant dna
Examples of DNA in a Sentence
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What Comes Next The following 15 years will define whether accessibility becomes embedded in the DNA of business or remains a patchwork of good intentions.
—
Bill Schiffmiller, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2025
Under Clunie’s leadership, it’s become the DNA of Davidson athletics.
—Colin Cerniglia, Charlotte Observer, 5 Aug. 2025
Intrigued, researchers took a closer look at the fish and analyzed its DNA.
—Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 4 Aug. 2025
The project entailed extracting environmental DNA from river water and examining it for the presence of invasive silver and bighead carp.
—Madeline Heim, jsonline.com, 24 July 2025
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Bill Schiffmiller, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2025
Under Clunie’s leadership, it’s become the DNA of Davidson athletics.
—Colin Cerniglia, Charlotte Observer, 5 Aug. 2025
Intrigued, researchers took a closer look at the fish and analyzed its DNA.
—Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 4 Aug. 2025
The project entailed extracting environmental DNA from river water and examining it for the presence of invasive silver and bighead carp.
—Madeline Heim, jsonline.com, 24 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for DNA
Cite this Entry
“DNA.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/DNA. Accessed 8 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
DNA
noun
: any of various nucleic acids that are located especially in cell nuclei, are usually the chemical basis of heredity, and are composed of two nucleotide chains held together by hydrogen bonds in a pattern resembling a flexible twisted ladder compare rna
Medical Definition
DNA
noun
: any of various nucleic acids that are usually the molecular basis of heredity, are constructed of a double helix held together by hydrogen bonds between purine and pyrimidine bases which project inward from two chains containing alternate links of deoxyribose and phosphate, and that in eukaryotes are localized chiefly in cell nuclei
called also deoxyribonucleic acid
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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