Secondary structure in biochemistry refers to the three-dimensional folding arrangements of polypeptide chains in proteins. The term secondary structure is used to refer to the arrangement of amino acid residues in a given protein. Synonyms for secondary structure could include the spatial organization of proteins, peptide backbone conformations, or the local conformation of a protein. Other synonyms for secondary structure could include helices, strands, beta sheets, beta-turns, alpha helix, alpha turns, and tertiary structure. In summary, the meaning of secondary structure can be understood through various synonyms that encapsulate the composition and organization of proteins in distinct terms.