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side chain
noun
: a shorter chain or group of atoms attached to a principal chain or to a ring in a molecule
Examples of side chain in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Since the first macrolides were developed, efforts have been made to improve them by replacing their side chains with structures resembling fluoroquinolones.
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New Atlas, 24 July 2024
This power is owed in part to its unique structure; the unusually long alkyl side chains of seven carbon atoms give an edge over conventional THC's five-carbon makeup.
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Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 24 Feb. 2023
The alkyl side chain is the driving force behind a cannabinoid's effects on humans.
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Kristen Rogers, CNN, 3 Feb. 2020
At that resolution, the researchers could make out the side chains of the virus’s proteins, which had been difficult to see in earlier images by other groups.
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Jaclyn Jeffrey-Wilensky, STAT, 26 June 2018
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Word History
First Known Use
1873, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near side chain
Cite this Entry
“Side chain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/side%20chain. Accessed 8 Feb. 2025.
Medical Definition
side chain
noun
: a branched chain of atoms attached to the principal chain or to a ring in a molecule
More from Merriam-Webster on side chain
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about side chain
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