double helix
noun
: a helix or spiral consisting of two strands in the surface of a cylinder that coil around its axis
especially
: the structural arrangement of DNA in space that consists of paired polynucleotide strands stabilized by cross-links between purine and pyrimidine bases compare alpha-helix, watson-crick model
Examples of double helix in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
If that atom happens to be part of a DNA molecule, the result can be a breakage in one or both of the delicate strands that wind into the famous double helix.
—
Tom Hawking, Popular Science, 24 Oct. 2024
Photograph: Peter Fisher At one point, Bailey sketched an idea around a double helix shape.
—Joseph Bien-Kahn, WIRED, 19 Sep. 2024
The key shows the universal elements (hydrogen, oxygen, carbon and nitrogen), the four bases of the DNA molecule (adenine, cytosine, guanine and thymine) with their molecular structure, where they’re placed in the DNA double helix, and how genes are arranged on a chromosome.
—New Atlas, 19 Sep. 2024
Li says that her book is structured like a double helix, with her personal quest and the trajectory of AI intertwined into a spiraling whole.
—Steven Levy, WIRED, 13 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for double helix 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Tom Hawking, Popular Science, 24 Oct. 2024
Photograph: Peter Fisher At one point, Bailey sketched an idea around a double helix shape.
—Joseph Bien-Kahn, WIRED, 19 Sep. 2024
The key shows the universal elements (hydrogen, oxygen, carbon and nitrogen), the four bases of the DNA molecule (adenine, cytosine, guanine and thymine) with their molecular structure, where they’re placed in the DNA double helix, and how genes are arranged on a chromosome.
—New Atlas, 19 Sep. 2024
Li says that her book is structured like a double helix, with her personal quest and the trajectory of AI intertwined into a spiraling whole.
—Steven Levy, WIRED, 13 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for double helix
Dictionary Entries Near double helix
Cite this Entry
“Double helix.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/double%20helix. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
double helix
noun
: a helix or spiral consisting of two strands in the surface of a cylinder that coil around its axis
especially
: the structural arrangement of DNA in space that consists of paired polynucleotide strands stabilized by cross-links between purine and pyrimidine bases compare alpha-helix, watson-crick model
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share