1. Atoms other than carbon and hydrogen in an organic molecule, such as nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur, or halogens.
Usage: chemistry; plural form of heteroatom; commonly used in organic chemistry and biochemistry

Examples

• The heteroatoms in the protein molecule include nitrogen from amino groups and oxygen from hydroxyl groups.
• Sulfur heteroatoms are found in many pharmaceutical compounds.
• The presence of heteroatoms affects the chemical properties and reactivity of organic compounds.
• Nitrogen heteroatoms in the ring structure make this compound more polar.
• Identifying heteroatoms is essential for understanding molecular structure and function.