[ pɪ'rɪmɪdi:n ]
■ noun Chemistry a colourless crystalline heterocyclic compound with basic properties.
↘(also ~ base ) a substituted derivative of this forming one of the two classes of base present in DNA and RNA, including cytosine, thymine, and uracil.
Origin
C19: from Ger. Pyrimidin , from pyridine , with the insertion of -im- from imide .