macromolecule
noun
- polymer or other very large molecule
Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /ˈmækɹəʊˌmɒlɪkjuːl/
noun
Etymology: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *meh₂ḱ- Proto-Indo-European *-rós Proto-Indo-European *mh₂ḱrós Proto-Hellenic *makrós Ancient Greek μᾰκρός (măkrós)der. French macro-der. English macro- Latin mōlēs Proto-Indo-European *-lós Proto-Indo-European *-elós Proto-Italic *-elos Proto-Italic *-kelos New Latin -cula New Latin moleculalbor. French moléculebor. English molecule English macromolecule From macro- + molecule.
- A very large molecule, especially used in reference to large biological polymers (e.g. nucleic acids and proteins).
“Beadle discovered that genes carried instructions to build proteins—complex, multidimensional macromolecules that were the workhorses of the cell.”