deoxy-

Loss of oxygen.

de‑ plus oxy‑².

This appears in names of substances to indicate that the molecule has lost one or more oxygen atoms compared with a precursor compound, a process sometimes called deoxygenation. Examples include deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), a self-replicating material, the carrier of genetic information in the chromosomes; part of its structure is deoxyribose, a sugar derived from ribose by replacement of a hydroxyl group by hydrogen; deoxycholic acid is one of the bile acids; deoxycorticosterone is a corticosteroid hormone involved in regulating the salt and water balance in the body.