gene flow

noun

: the passage and establishment of genes typical of one breeding population into the gene pool of another

Examples of gene flow in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Wildlife officials say the lions are at risk due to habitat fragmentation, limited gene flow, vehicle strikes, rat poison and disease. More than 1,400 California mountain lions are now protected by the state’s Endangered Species Act. Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 13 Feb. 2026 Another issue is introgression, or gene flow from archaic hominin groups. Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 25 Jan. 2026 Evolution is the primary hypothesis, but the authors note there are other explanations that need to be ruled out, such as gene flow, when individuals from elsewhere, such as the mountain birds, enter the population. Taylor Nicioli, CNN Money, 12 Jan. 2026 By combining these advanced methods, the researchers were able to divide the entire genome into smaller sections, estimate the ancestry of each section, and capture minute amounts of gene flow that could not be detected using conventional statistical methods. Ritsuko Kawai, Wired News, 25 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for gene flow

Word History

First Known Use

1939, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gene flow was in 1939

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Cite this Entry

“Gene flow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gene%20flow. Accessed 27 Feb. 2026.

Medical Definition

gene flow

noun
: the passage and establishment of genes typical of one breeding population into the gene pool of another

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