Meaning & use
DNA
Last updated
Meanings
noununcountablebiology
The molecule in cells that carries the instructions for how living things grow and function.
Grammar: Uncountable; no plural form. Use 'DNA' as a singular concept: 'DNA is...'
Patterns
- DNA testing
- DNA evidence
- human DNA
The police used DNA evidence to solve the old case.
Scientists can now edit DNA in living cells.
Your DNA is a mix of both your parents' genetic material.
noununcountablefigurative
The fundamental character or essence of a person, group, or thing.
Grammar: Figurative use; often in the phrase 'part of someone's DNA'.
Patterns
- part of someone's DNA
- in someone's DNA
Helping others is part of her DNA.
Innovation is in the company's DNA.
Common combinations
- DNA test
- He took a DNA test to learn about his ancestry.
- DNA sequence
- The lab mapped the DNA sequence of the virus.
- DNA fingerprint
- DNA fingerprinting can identify suspects with high accuracy.
- DNA evidence
- The jury was convinced by the DNA evidence.
Synonyms and how they differ
- genetic code
- Refers to the set of rules by which DNA information is translated into proteins; more technical and less common in everyday speech.
Word family
- deoxyribonucleic acid noun
- The full scientific name for DNA, rarely used in everyday language.
Commonly confused: DNA or RNA?
DNA vs RNA
RNA is a similar molecule that helps carry out DNA's instructions; don't mix up the two.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'DNA' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'DNA' is uncountable and takes a singular verb, so 'DNA is' is correct. 'DNA are' and 'DNAs' are wrong because DNA has no plural form.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “DNA”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.