Now updated for CSW19. New words, if any, and new inflections of existing words, are shown in red.
| acentric | without a centre; (noun) an acentric chromosome or fragment. |
| acrocentric | a rod-shaped chromosome. |
| adenine | one of the four bases in DNA. |
| adenosine | a nucleotide made up of adenine and ribose. |
| adenylic | as in adenylic acid, a type of nucleotide. |
| allel | any one of the two or more possible forms of a gene. |
| allele | any one of the two or more possible forms of a gene. |
| allelic | relating to an allele. |
| allelism | the state of possessing alleles. |
| allelomorph | any one of the two or more possible forms of a gene. |
| allelomorphic | of or like an allelomorph. |
| allelomorphism | the state of being an allelomorph. |
| allogeneic | involving, derived from or being individuals of the same species that are sufficiently unlike genetically to interact antigenically. |
| allogenic | involving, derived from or being individuals of the same species that are sufficiently unlike genetically to interact antigenically. |
| allomorphism | the state of being an allomorph. |
| allozyme | a different form of an enzyme coded by the same allele. |
| ameiosis | non-pairing of the chromosomes in meiosis. |
| amphidiploid | a hybrid having a complete diploid chromosome set from each parent. |
| amphidiploidy | the state of being amphidiploid. |
| amphimictic | relating to amphimixis. |
| amphimixis | interbreeding; intermixing of two individuals' genetic matter. |
| amphiploid | having at least one set of diploid chromosomes derived from each parent species. |
| amphiploidy | the state of being amphiploid, having at least one set of diploid chromosomes derived from each parent species. |
| anaphasic | relating to the anaphase, the stage of meiosis in which daughter chromosomes move towards the nuclear spindle. |
| aneuploidy | the condition of being aneuploid, having missing or extra chromosomes. |
| anticodon | a triplet of nucleotide bases in transfer RNA. |
| aptamer | any of various created RNA-based molecules with therapeutic properties. |
| archiplasm | the protoplasmic material surrounding the centrosome, formerly thought to be involved in the formation of the asters and spindle during mitosis. |
| archiplasmic | relating to archiplasm, the protoplasmic material surrounding the centrosome. |
| archoplasm | the protoplasmic material surrounding the centrosome, formerly thought to be involved in the formation of the asters and spindle during mitosis. |
| archoplasmic | relating to archoplasm, the protoplasmic material surrounding the centrosome. |
| atavism | the reappearance of ancestral, but not parental, characteristics. |
| atavistic | showing atavism, a resemblance to more remote ancestors rather than to parents. |
| atavistically | (Adv.) ATAVISTIC, showing atavism, a resemblance to more remote ancestors rather than to parents. |
| autopolyploid | an individual or strain whose chromosome complement consists of more than two complete copies of the genome of a single ancestral species. |
| autopolyploidy | the state of being an autopolyploid, an individual or strain whose chromosome complement consists of more than two complete copies of the genome of a single ancestral species. |
| autosomal | of or like an autosome, a chromosome other than a sex chromosome. |
| autosomally | (Adv.) AUTOSOMAL, of or like an autosome, a chromosome other than a sex chromosome. |
| autosome | a chromosome other than a sex chromosome. |
| autotetraploid | an individual or strain whose chromosome complement consists of four copies of a single genome due to doubling of an ancestral chromosome complement. |
| autotetraploidy | the state of being autotetraploid. |
| backcross | a cross between a hybrid and a parent; (verb) to create such a cross. |
| bigener | (Lat.) a hybrid arising from two genera. |
| bigeneric | relating to a bigener, a hybrid arising from two genera. |
| bimaternal | having the genetic material of two mothers but no father. |
| biohacker | one who engages in biohacking. |
| biotype | a set of organisms having the same genetic constitution. |
| biotypic | relating to a biotype, a set of organisms having the same genetic constitution. |
| bloodline | all the individuals in a family line over a number of generations. |
| cacogenic | reducing the quality of a race. |
| cacogenics | the study of racial degeneration. |
| centromere | the portion of DNA that attaches a chromosome to the spindle during cell division. |
| centromeric | relating to a centromere. |
| chimaera | a mythical or genetic hybrid. |
| chimaerism | the state of being or creating a genetic chimaera. |
| chimera | (Lat.) a mythical or genetic hybrid. |
| chimerism | the state of being or creating a genetic chimaera. |
| chromatid | one of the two threadlike structures formed by the longitudinal division of a chromosome. |
| chromatin | a protein/DNA complex making the chromosome. |
| chromatinic | relating to chromatin. |
| chromatoid | relating to chromatin, a protein/DNA complex making the chromosome. |
| chromomere | one of the characteristic granules of chromatin that appear on a chromosome during meiosis. |
| chromomeric | relating to a chromomere. |
| cistron | a section of a chromosome which controls a single function. |
| cistronic | relating to a cistron, a section of a chromosome which controls a single function. |
| codominance | the state of having both alleles expressed equally in the phenotype of the organism. |
| codon | a triplet of bases in the messenger-RNA molecule, which determines a particular amino-acid in protein synthesis. |
| colorbred | selectively bred for the development of certain colours. |
| colorbreed | to breed plants or animals selectively for the production of new varieties having a specific color or shade. |
| colourbreed | to breed (animals or plants) to be a particular colour. |
| congenetic | having common origin. |
| congenic | of animal cells, bred to be genetically identical except for a single gene locus. |
| corepressor | a small molecule that activates a particular genetic repressor by combining with it. |
| cosmid | a segment of DNA. |
| cotransduction | the process by which two genetic markers are simultaneously packaged within a bacteriophage for transfer to a new host bacterium. |
| derepression | the act of derepressing. |
| diaster | (Greek) a stage in cellular mitosis where the split chromosomes group at the poles of the spindle, thus preparing to separate into two cells. |
| diastral | relating to diaster, a stage in cellular mitosis. |
| dihybrid | a cross between parents that differ in two independently heritable characteristics. |
| diploid | containing two homologous sets of chromosomes, one from each parent; (noun) a diploid animal. |
| diploidic | relating to diploidy, the state of being diploid. |
| diploidy | the state of being diploid, containing a nucleus with two complete sets of chromosomes, one set inherited from each parent. |
| diplophase | a diploid phase in a life cycle. |
| disomic | having a number of chromosomes duplicated. |
| disomy | the state of being disomic, having a number of chromosomes duplicated. |
| dizygotic | developed from two zygotes or fertilised eggs. |
| dysbindin | a gene associated with schizophrenia. |
| dysgenic | unfavourable to racial improvement. |
| ectogene | a gene involved in the development of an embryo in artificial conditions. |
| endopolyploid | relating to endopolyploidy. |
| endopolyploidy | a polyploid state in which the chromosomes have divided repeatedly without subsequent division of the nucleus or cell. |
| epigenetic | resulting from external features, not genetic. |
| epigenetically | (Adv.) EPIGENETIC, resulting from external features, not genetic. |
| epigenome | the complement of chemical compounds that modify the expression and function of the genome. |
| epistasis | the suppression of a gene by another non-allelomorphic gene. |
| epistasy | a suppression of genetic effect. |
| epistatic | of, exhibiting, or caused by epistasis, the suppression of a gene by another non-allelomorphic gene. |
| euchromatic | of or like euchromatin. |
| euchromatin | the part of chromatin that is genetically active and is largely composed of genes. |
| eugenic | relating to genetic improvement of a race by judicious mating. |
| eugenical | relating to genetic improvement of a race by judicious mating. |
| eugenically | (Adv.) EUGENICAL, relating to genetic improvement of a race by judicious mating. |
| eugenics | the study of genetic improvement of a race by judicious mating. |
| eugenism | the study of the genetic improvement of race. |
| eugenist | one who practises eugenics. |
| euploid | having a chromosome complement that is an exact multiple of the haploid; (noun) an euploid animal. |
| euploidy | the state of being a euploid, having a chromosome complement that is an exact multiple of the haploid. |
| exome | a part of the genome consisting of exons. |
| exogenetic | not genetic, not caused by genetic factors. |
| exon | any segment of a gene which consists of codons. |
| exonic | relating to an exon, any segment of a gene which consists of codons. |
| fertilization | the process by which an egg is made capable of generating offspring. |
| frameshift | a term in genetic manipulation. |
| gene | a hereditary unit. |
| genecology | the study of the gene frequency of a species in relation to its population distribution within a particular environment. |
| genetic | relating to origins; relating to genes. |
| genetical | relating to origins; relating to genes. |
| genetically | (Adv.) GENETIC, relating to genes. |
| genetics | the science of heredity. |
| genic | of or relating to a gene. |
| genically | (Adv.) GENIC, of or relating to a gene. |
| genom | the complete set of chromosomes of a particular organism. |
| genome | the complete set of chromosomes of a particular organism. |
| genomic | relating to a genome. |
| genomics | the branch of molecular genetics concerned with the study of genomes. |
| genotype | the set of genes of an individual; (verb) to determine the gneotype of > GENOTYPED, GENOTYPING. |
| genotypic | relating to a genotype, the set of genes of an individual. |
| genotypical | relating to a genotype. |
| genotypicity | the state of being genotypic. |
| guanin | a yellowish-white, amorphous substance, found in guano, liver, pancreas, and other organs of animals, and germ cells of plants, forming a constituent of nucleic acids. |
| guanine | a yellowish-white, amorphous substance, found in guano, liver, pancreas, and other organs of animals, and germ cells of plants, forming a constituent of nucleic acids. |
| guanosine | a nucleoside composed of guanine and ribose. |
| haploid | possessing a single set of chromosomes, like the gametes; (noun) such a cell. |
| haploidic | denoting a cell or organism with unpaired chromosomes. |
| haploidy | the state of being haploid, possessing a single set of chromosomes. |
| haplont | an organism having a particular chromosomal structure. |
| haplontic | of or like a haplont, an organism having a particular chromosomal structure. |
| haplosis | the halving of the chromosome number. |
| hemizygous | having one or more genes that have no allelic counterparts. |
| hereditist | an adherent of hereditarianism, the view that heredity is the major factor in determining human and animal behaviour. |
| heredity | the genetic transmission of characteristics. |
| heteroduplex | a nucleicacid molecule, such as DNA, composed of two chains with each derived from a different parent molecule. |
| heterogenesis | spontaneous or alternate generation. |
| heterogenetic | relating to heterogenesis. |
| heterogenic | relating to heterogenesis. |
| heterogeny | spontaneous or alternate generation. |
| heteroploid | an organism having a chromosome number that is not an integral multiple of the haploid. |
| heterosis | the increased size and vigor attributable to hybridization. |
| hexaploid | having six times the ordinary number of chromosomes; (noun) a cell having six times the ordinary number of chromosomes. |
| hexaploidy | the state of having six times the normal number of chromosomes. |
| holandric | transmitted by a gene in the nonhomologous portion of the Y chromosome. |
| hologynic | passed down through females. |
| hologyny | a trait transmitted solely in the female line. |
| homeobox | of genes, that regulate the development of multicellular animals and plants. |
| homoeobox | of genes, that regulate the development of multicellular animals and plants. |
| homozygosity | the state of being homozygous, inheriting a given genetic factor from both parents. |
| homozygous | inheriting a given genetic factor from both parents. |
| homozygously | (Adv.) HOMOZYGOUS, inheriting a given genetic factor from both parents. |
| hybrid | the offspring of genetically dissimilar parents. |
| hybridise | to create a hybrid. |
| hybridism | the state of being hybrid. |
| hybridity | the state of being hybrid. |
| hybridize | to create a hybrid. |
| hybridous | hybrid. |
| hyperploid | in excess of but not exact multiple of diploid; (noun) a hyperploid organism. |
| hyperploidy | the state of being hyperploid, in excess of but not exact multiple of diploid. |
| hypodiploid | having slightly fewer than the diploid number of chromosomes. |
| hypodiploidy | the state of being hypodiploid, having slightly fewer than the diploid number of chromosomes. |
| hypomorph | a mutant gene but having a similar but weaker effect than the corresponding wild-type gene. |
| hypomorphic | of a mutation, causing a partial loss of gene function. |
| hypoploid | a chromosome number a few below the normal diploid number. |
| hypoploidy | the state of being hypoploid, having a chromosome number a few below the normal diploid number. |
| idant | an aggregation of ids, a chromosome. |
| idiogram | a chromosome diagram. |
| idioplasm | the part of the protoplasm bearing hereditary characteristics. |
| idioplasmatic | of or like idioplasm, the part of the protoplasm bearing hereditary characteristics. |
| idioplasmic | of or like idioplasm, the part of the protoplasm bearing hereditary characteristics. |
| incross | to produce a plant or animal by crossing two inbred individuals. |
| incrossbreed | to produce by crossing two inbred individuals of different breeds. |
| intragenic | being or occurring within a gene. |
| introgression | the modification of species by the backcrossing of the hybrids with the parent species. |
| introgressive | relating to introgression. |
| intron | any of the segments of a eukaryotic gene that do not carry coded information for the synthesis of proteins. |
| intronic | of or like an intron, an intervening sequence in the genetic code. |
| isochromosome | a chromosome produced by transverse splitting ofthe centromere so that both arms are from the same side of the centromere, are of equal length, and possess identical genes. |
| isogamete | a gamete indistinguishable in form or size or behavior from another gamete, with which it can unite to form a zygote. |
| isogametic | relating to isogamy, the conjugation of two gametes of equal size and form. |
| isogamic | relating to isogamy, the conjugation of two gametes of equal size and form. |
| isogamous | relating to isogamy, the conjugation of two gametes of equal size and form. |
| isogamy | the conjugation of two gametes of equal size and form. |
| isogeneic | genetically similar or identical, eg in respect of grafts. |
| isogenetic | relating to isogeny, sameness or similarity of origin. |
| isogenic | genetically similar or identical, eg in respect of grafts. |
| isogenous | having the same origin. |
| isogeny | sameness or similarity of origin. |
| karyogram | a chromosome diagram or karyotype. |
| karyotype | the appearance, number and arrangements of chromosomes; (verb) to determine the karyotype of. |
| karyotypic | of or like a karyotype, the appearance, number and arrangements of chromosomes. |
| karyotypical | of or like a karyotype, the appearance, number and arrangements of chromosomes. |
| karyotypically | (Adv.) KARYOTYPIC, of or like a karyotype. |
| kinetochore | a structure forming at the centromere during mitosis for binding microtubules. |
| kinetonucleus | a DNA body located near the base of the flagellum in flagellate protozoa. |
| kinetoplast | a DNA body located near the base of the flagellum in flagellate protozoa. |
| lampbrush | as in lampbrush chromosome, a chromosome observed during the early stages of meiosis in many eukaryotes. |
| lethal | causing death (noun) a death-dealing genetic defect |
| lethally | (Adv.) LETHAL, causing death. |
| linebred | produced by interbreeding within a particular line of descent. |
| mappist | one who maps esp genes. |
| matrocliny | the inheritance of traits primarily from the mother. |
| meme | in biology, a practice or belief passed on other than by genes. |
| memetic | of or like a meme. |
| metacentric | a chromosome having the centromere approximately in the middle, such that the two arms are of similar length. |
| microarray | a collection of microscopic DNA spots, aka gene chip. |
| microgamete | the smaller, generally the male, gamete. |
| miscegenate | to practise miscegenation. |
| miscegenation | the interbreeding of races, esp where differences of pigmentation are involved. |
| miscegenational | relating to miscegenation. |
| miscegenetic | relating to miscegenation. |
| miscegenist | a person who favours or practises miscegenation. |
| missense | to sense wrongly. |
| mongrel | an animal or plant of mixed breed. |
| mongrelise | to make mongrel. |
| mongrelism | the state of being mongrel. |
| mongrelize | to make mongrel. |
| mongrelly | like a mongrel. |
| monogeny | the (theoretical) common origin of the human species, esp from one pair of ancestors. |
| monohybrid | a cross between parents differing in one heritable character. |
| monoploid | a haploid organism, a gametophyte. |
| monosome | an unpaired chromosome. |
| monosomic | relating to a monosome, an unpaired chromosome; (noun) a monosomic individual or variety. |
| monosomy | a condition of having one unpaired chromosome. |
| mosaicism | the property or state of being composed of cells of two genetically different types. |
| multigene | each of a group of genes with closely related nucleotide sequences, apparently evolved from a common ancestor sequence and often having similar or related functions. |
| multigenic | having many genes. |
| mutagenic | inducing mutations. |
| mutagenically | (Adv.) MUTAGENIC, inducing mutations. |
| muton | a unit of nucleic acid. |
| myc | a cancer-causing gene. |
| neurogenesis | the production or generation of nerves. |
| nonallelic | not allelic. |
| noncoding | of DNA, not contributing to the code. |
| nongenetic | not genetic. |
| nucleosomal | of or like a nucleosome. |
| nucleosome | a repeating unit of chromatin occurring along a strand of DNA. |
| octaploid | eightfold; (noun) a cell, organism or form with eight sets of chromosomes. |
| octaploidy | the condition of being octaploid, eightfold. |
| octoploid | eightfold; (noun) a cell, organism or form with eight sets of chromosomes. |
| oligogene | a type of gene. |
| ontogenetic | relating to ontogenesis. |
| ontogenic | relating to ontogenesis, the origin and development of a single individual organism. |
| ontogenically | (Adv.) ONTOGENIC, relating to ontogenesis. |
| operon | a group of genes operating as a unit. |
| outbreed | to breed from parents not closely related. |
| outcross | to breed individuals of different strains of a species. |
| outcrossing | the act of crossing (an animal or plant, a breed or stock) with one not closely related. |
| pangenesis | darwin's theory that every cell of the body contributes gemmules to the germ-cells and so shares in the transmission of inherited characters. |
| pangenetic | of or pertaining to pangenesis. |
| pangenetically | (Adv.) PANGENETIC, of or pertaining to pangenesis. |
| paralogue | either of a pair of genes that derive from the same ancestral gene. |
| parasynapsis | the pairing of chromosomes of paternal and maternal origin before the reducing division. |
| parasynaptic | of or like a parasynapsis. |
| patrocliny | the inheritance of traits primarily from the father. |
| penetrance | the degree or frequency with which a gene manifests its effect. |
| pentaploid | a cell, organism, or form with five sets of chromosomes. |
| pentaploidy | the state of being pentaploid. |
| phaenotype | the sum of the attributes of an individual, regarded as resulting from the interaction of its genotype with its environment; (verb) to categorise by phaenotype. |
| phenetic | of or relating to classification by phenotype. |
| phenocopy | a copy of a genetic abnormality that is produced by the environment and cannot be inherited. |
| phenome | the complete set of phenotypes of an individual or group. |
| phenotype | the sum of the attributes of an individual, regarded as resulting from the interaction of its genotype with its environment; (verb) to categorise by phenotype. |
| plasmid | a small DNA molecule found in bacteria. |
| pleiotropic | of a gene, having an effect simultaneously on more than one character in the offspring. |
| pleiotropism | the state of being pleiotropic, having an effect simultaneously on more than one character in the offspring. |
| pleiotropy | the property of having an effect simultaneously on more than one characteristic of the offspring. |
| ploidy | a multiple set of chromosomes. |
| polyclonal | produced by or being cells derived from two or more cells of different ancestry or genetic constitution; (noun) a type of antibody. |
| polygene | a set of cooperating genes, each producing a small effect. |
| polygenism | the doctrine that animals of the same species have sprung from more than one original pair. |
| polygenist | one who maintains that animals of the same species have sprung from more than one original pair. |
| polyploid | having more than two sets (diploid) of the basic chromosome number (haploid). |
| polyploidal | having more than two sets (diploid) of the basic chromosome number (haploid). |
| polyploidic | having more than two sets (diploid) of the basic chromosome number (haploid). |
| polyploidy | the condition of being polyploid. |
| polyribosomal | of or like a polyribosome. |
| polyribosome | a cluster of ribosomes linked together by a molecule of messenger RNA and forming the site of protein synthesis. |
| polysomic | a basically diploid chromosome complement, in which some but not all the chromosomes are represented more than twice. |
| polytene | of abnormally large chromosomes, composed of many reduplicated strands. |
| polyteny | in abnormally large chromosomes, the state of being composed of many reduplicated strands. |
| proband | a person with some distinctive characteristic who serves as the starting point for a study of genetic transmission. |
| profectitious | derived from a parent or ancestor. |
| pureblood | a horse etc. of unmixed race. |
| purebred | of unmixed race; (noun) a purebred creature, eg a horse. |
| ramet | an independent member of a clone. |
| recessive | tending to receive (noun) a recessive gene |
| recessively | (Adv.) RECESSIVE. |
| recombinant | a gene that recombines. |
| replicator | something or someone that replicates. |
| replicon | a section of nucleic acid that replicates as a unit. |
| revertant | (Fr.) a mutant gene that regains a former capability. |
| riflip | the genetic difference between two individuals. |
| segregant | a genetic segregate. |
| semantide | a molecule carrying information, eg in a gene or messenger RNA. |
| semilethal | a mutation that tends to be lethal but is not always. |
| serogroup | any group of bacteria or other microorganisms that have a certain antigen in common. |
| sexlinked | of a gene, found on a sex chromosome. |
| species | (Lat.) a population of individuals which share the same gene pool and which is unable to interbreed with closely related populations to produce viable offspring. |
| spermatozoal | of or like a spermatozoon, a male sexual cell, which fertilises the egg. |
| spermatozoic | of or like a spermatozoon, a male sex cell. |
| spermatozoon | a male sexual cell, which fertilises the egg. |
| straightbred | an animal produced by breeding a single breed, strain, or type. |
| subbreed | a race or strain differing in certain characters from the parent breed. |
| subline | an inbred line within a strain. |
| submetacentric | having the centromere situated so that one chromosome arm is somewhat shorter than the other; (noun) a submetacentric chromosome. |
| supercoil | a complex coil formed by intertwining strands of protein or DNA; (verb) to create such a coil. |
| supergene | a group of closely linked genes, frequently having related functions. |
| superhelical | of or like a superhelix. |
| superhelix | a helix, as of DNA, which has its axis arranged in a helical coil. |
| synapsis | the pairing of chromosomes of paternal and maternal origin before the reducing division. |
| synaptical | of or like synapsis, the pairing of chromosomes of paternal and maternal origin before the reducing division. |
| syngamic | of or like syngamy, the process of union of two gametes. |
| syngeneic | genetically similar or identical, eg in respect of grafts. |
| syngenic | genetically similar or identical, eg in respect of grafts. |
| synkaryon | the nucleus of a fertilized egg immediately after the male and female nuclei have fused. |
| synkaryonic | like a synkaryon. |
| syntenic | relating to synteny, the presence of two or more genes on the same chromosome. |
| synteny | the presence of two or more genes on the same chromosome. |
| telocentric | of a chromosome, having the centromere at one end of the chromosome; (noun) a telocentric chromosome. |
| telomere | a centromere that is located in a terminal position on a chromosome. |
| testcross | a type of genetic cross; (verb) to make a testcross. |
| tetraploid | four haploid sets of chromosomes. |
| tetraploidy | the state of being tetraploid, having four haploid sets of chromosomes. |
| thymidine | a nucleoside of thymine, found in DNA. |
| thymine | one of the four bases in DNA. |
| topcross | a cross between a purebred male and inferior female stock. |
| transcriptome | a collection of all the messenger RNA in a particular cell. |
| transductant | an agent that effects transduction. |
| transduction | the transfer of genetic material from one bacterial cell to another by a bacteriophage. |
| transductional | relating to transduction. |
| transgene | a gene that is transferred from an organism of one species to an organism of another species by genetic engineering. |
| transgenic | of, pertaining to, or designating an organism containing genetic material into which DNA from an unrelated organism has been artificially introduced. |
| transgenics | the branch of biology concerned with transgenic organisms. |
| transposon | a sequence of DNA capable of moving to different sites in a chromosome. |
| triploid | having three haploid sets of chromosomes in each nucleus; (noun) a triploid cell. |
| triploidy | the condition of being triploid. |
| trisome | a chromosome that occurs three times in a cell instead of twice. |
| trisomic | designating an otherwise normal diploid organism in which one chromosome type is represented three times instead of twice; (noun) a trisomic cell or individual; a chromosome represented three times in a chromosomal complement. |
| trisomy | a trisomic condition, an otherwise normal diploid organism in which one chromosome type is represented three times instead of twice. |
| truebred | of true breeding. |
| uridine | a pyrimidine nucleoside based on uracil and ribose. |
| uridylic | as in uridylic acid, a constituent of RNA. |
| virogene | a virus-forming gene. |
| xenogenesis | the supposed production of offspring totally different from the parents. |
| xenoplastic | involving or occurring between distantly related individuals. |