Definition

A unit used to measure the length of a nucleic acid chain, equal to one thousand nucleotides or base pairs.

Example

The genetic sequence was analyzed and found to be three kilobases long.

Conversation

Did you know that a kilobase is a measure of DNA length?

Yeah, I learned that in my biology class!

It's interesting how a kilobase equals one thousand nucleotides.

Absolutely! I find genetics really fascinating.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Kilobase → It is formed from "kilo-" (from Greek "chilioi", meaning thousand) and "base" (from Latin "basis", meaning foundation or base). The term "kilobase" refers to a unit of measurement in genetics that represents a length of DNA or RNA that is one thousand bases long.

Memory Tip

Think of 'kilo-' meaning a thousand, and 'base' as the foundation of DNA — a kilobase is a thousand bases long.

Visually Confused Words