Definition

A type of organic compound that has a single ring structure and contains nitrogen. It is important in biology as it forms part of DNA and RNA, specifically in the bases uracil, cytosine, and thymine.

Example

Pyrimidine is essential for the synthesis of nucleic acids in living organisms.

Conversation

Have you ever heard of pyrimidine before in your biology class?

Yeah, I think it's one of the bases in DNA, right?

Exactly! It's related to uracil and thymine, which are pretty important.

I remember now! Those bases are essential for genetic coding.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Pyrimidine → It is formed from "pyr" (from Greek "pur", meaning fire) and "imidine" (from the chemical structure indicating a nitrogen-containing compound). The word refers to a class of organic compounds that are derivatives of pyrimidine, which is a six-membered ring containing nitrogen atoms, resembling the structure of fire in its reactivity.

Memory Tip

Think of 'fire' ('pyr') to remember that pyrimidine is a compound that can be quite reactive, much like fire.

Visually Confused Words