Main Entry: al·lele

Pronunciation: \ə-ˈlēl\

Function: noun

Etymology: German Allel, short for Allelomorph

Date: 1928

1 : any of the alternative forms of a gene that may occur at a given locus
2 : either of a pair of alternative Mendelian characters (as smooth and wrinkled seed in the pea)

— al·le·lic \-ˈlē-lik, -ˈle-\ adjective

— al·lel·ism \-ˈlē-ˌli-zəm, -ˈle-\ noun