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
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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

Word History

First Known Use

1873, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of side chain was in 1873

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 23 Dec. 2024.

Medical Definition

side chain

noun
: a branched chain of atoms attached to the principal chain or to a ring in a molecule

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