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ribonucleic

ribonucleic

7.6
Relating to RNA, the molecule cells use to make proteins
  • adjective
  • /ˌraɪboʊnjuˈkleɪɪk/
  • Specialized
translation icon : ribonucleico
  • Ribonucleic acid, or ribonucleic acid, plays a crucial role in protein synthesis.

Examples

  • And then RNA, which is the polymer of of nucleotides that have ribose as a sugar is ribonucleic acid or RNA as you've you've known it.

  • Each cell contains ribonucleic material that helps produce essential proteins.

  • The genetic code is stored in ribonucleic sequences that guide cellular functions.

Compounds

ribonucleic acid
  • Specialized
5.1

A molecule in cells that carries messages from genes to make proteins

Surface Forms

ribonucleic positive

Morphology

ribonucleic = nucleic (opaque) = ribo + nucleic

The combining form 'ribo-' refers to ribose and is technical, and 'nucleic' is specialized vocabulary; the meaning is not inferable by an average B1 learner.

Etymology

The word ribonucleic comes from ribo-, from the word 'ribose' meaning a sugar that is part of the molecule, and nucleic, from nucleus, meaning 'central part' of a cell. So ribonucleic points to RNA, the molecule with that sugar that works with the cell's nucleus, which is why we use the word for things related to RNA.