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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.
—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.
—Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 24 Feb. 2023
The alkyl side chain is the driving force behind a cannabinoid's effects on humans.
—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.
—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 21 Nov. 2024.
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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