gene

Meaning

1. A theoretical unit of heredity of living organisms which may take several values and (in principle) predetermines a precise trait of an organism's form (phenotype), such as hair color.
2. A segment of DNA or RNA from a cell's or an organism's genome, that may take several forms and thus parameterizes a phenomenon, such as (often) the structure of a protein.

Synonyms

factor

cistron

breed

brood

family

👪

gender

genetic

genus

ilk

issue

kin

kind

race

sex

👉👌

species

stock

strain

genetic factor

genetic agent

Gen

Gẽ

Gen-Gbe

Translations

gène

Gen

gen

gen

gene

gene

γονίδιο

gene

gen

Erbfaktor

gen

γόνος

مورثة

genes

Pronounced as (IPA)

/d͡ʒiːn/

Etymology

From German Gen, from Ancient Greek γενεά (geneá, “generation, descent”), from the aorist infinitive of γίγνομαι (gígnomai, “I come into being”). Coined by Danish botanist Wilhelm Ludwig Johannsen in 1909, in a German-language publication, from the last syllable of pangene.