Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
heterocycle

heterocycle

1 9.9
A ring of atoms that has at least two different elements
  • noun
  • /ˈhɛtərəˌsaɪkəl/
  • Specialized
: heterociclo
  • Researchers are exploring new methods to synthesize aromatic heterocycles to improve drug development processes.

Examples

  • Let's take the heterocycles for a nitride and check out Avogadro's bar.

    Fiction book (1994)

  • With this aspect, this report from the Journal of the American Chemical Society (2008) contributes a new advance in the direct functionalization of pyridine N-oxides, one of the most important heterocycles having significant utility in various research areas.

    Blog text (17)

  • Many pharmaceuticals are based on complex heterocycles that enhance their effectiveness and reduce side effects.

  • The study focused on the stability and reactivity of various nitrogen-containing heterocycles in organic chemistry.

Synonyms

heterocyclic ring
vsheterocycle
  • Specialized
1 8.1

A ring of atoms in a molecule with at least one non-carbon atom

describes the whole compound rather than just the ring within it
heterocyclic
vsheterocycle
  • Specialized
9.9

A chemical with a ring of atoms that has at least one atom like nitrogen or oxygen

is the general definition without listing specific example elements
heterocyclic compound
vsheterocycle
  • Specialized
8.4

A chemical with a ring of atoms where at least one atom is not carbon

requires the ring to be made of at least two different chemical elements

Surface Forms

heterocycle singular
heterocycles plural

Morphology

heterocycle = cycle (semi-transparent) = hetero + cycle

The combining form 'hetero-' is common in scientific vocabulary but is not a standalone everyday word for many learners, so the overall term may be only partially transparent to B1 learners.

Etymology

The word heterocycle comes from Greek parts hetero- meaning 'different' and cycle meaning 'circle' or 'ring', the same cycle in bicycle. In chemistry a heterocycle is a ring-shaped molecule where at least two of the atoms are different elements, like carbon and nitrogen, so the name means a 'different ring'.