clone

1 of 2

noun

ˈklōn 

1

a

: the aggregate of genetically identical cells or organisms asexually produced by or from a single progenitor cell or organism

b

: an individual grown from a single somatic cell or cell nucleus and genetically identical to it

c

: a group of replicas of all or part of a macromolecule and especially DNA

clones of identical recombinant DNA sequences

2

: one that appears to be a copy of an original form : duplicate

a clone of a personal computer

clonal

ˈklō-nᵊl 

adjective

clonally

ˈklō-nə-lē 

adverb

clone

2 of 2

verb

cloned; cloning

transitive verb

1

: to propagate a clone from

2

: to make a copy of

intransitive verb

: to produce a clone

cloner

ˈklō-nər 

noun

Did you know?

Cloning is the production of a population of genetically identical cells or of organisms asexually produced by a single cell or organism. Cloning is fundamental to most living things, since the body cells of plants and animals are clones that come from a single fertilized egg. More narrowly, the term refers to an individual organism grown from a single body cell of its parent that is genetically identical to the parent. Cloning has been commonplace in horticulture since ancient times — many varieties of plants are cloned simply by obtaining cuttings of their leaves, stems, or roots and replanting them. The body cells of adult humans and other animals are routinely cultured as clones in the laboratory. British researchers achieved the first success in cloning an adult mammal in 1996. They produced a lamb, which they named Dolly, using DNA from an adult sheep.

Synonyms

Noun

• carbon
• carbon copy
• copy
• dummy
• dupe
• duplicate
• duplication
• facsimile
• imitation
• mock
• reduplication
• replica
• replication
• reproduction

Verb

• copy
• copycat
• duplicate
• imitate
• reduplicate
• render
• replicate
• reproduce

Examples of clone in a Sentence

Noun

the clone of an adult female sheep

the car is a clone under a different brand name—it's even manufactured in the same plant as its cousin

Verb

Do you think scientists should clone humans?

a plant produced by cloning

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

This success has set the stage for the next crisis, primarily because, like Gros Michel, Cavendish bananas are also clones propagated whole from a narrow genetic base. —Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 10 May 2025

Justin, a sunny Dirk Diggler clone, has daddy issues that mushroom into a crush on Guillermo Jacubowicz’s nameless hotel receptionist, a humble single father. —Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2025

Verb

Petey’s latest plan is to clone himself, creating the kitten Lil Petey, to double his ability to do crime stuff. —Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 7 May 2025

Using this data, the team tracked how frequently plants were cloned, crossed and exchanged between institutions. —Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

borrowed from Greek klṓn, klōnós "branch, sprig," perhaps contraction of *klaṓn, from kla-, stem of kláō, klân "to break off, break in two or in pieces" + -ōn, noun suffix — more at clastic

Note: The term clone, first spelled clon, was introduced by the American plant physiologist Herbert J. Webber (1865-1946) in "New horticultural and agricultural terms," Science, vol. 18 (new series), no. 459 (October 16, 1903), pp. 501-03: "Recently, Mr. O.F. Cook, of the Department of Agriculture, has called the writer's attention to the Greek word clon (κλών) meaning a twig, spray, or slip, such as is broken off for propagation, which could be used in the connection desired …Clons, which are groups of plants that are propagated by the use of any form of vegetative parts such as bulbs, tubers, cuttings, grafts, buds, etc., and which are simply parts of the same individual seedlings." The O.F. Cook to whom Webber refers was the American botanist Orator F. Cook (1867-1949). Respelling of the word as clone to mark the long o was suggested by the botanist Charles Louis Pollard ("On the spelling of 'clon'," Science, vol. 22 [new series], no. 551 [July 21, 1905], pp. 87-88).

Verb

derivative of clone entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

1903, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1930, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for clone

• blown
• cone
• crone
• drone
• flown
• groan
• grown
• hone
• joan
• known
• loan
• lone

Kids Definition

clone

1 of 2 noun

ˈklōn 

1

: the whole collection of offspring produced asexually from an individual (as a plant increased by grafting)

2

: an individual grown from a single body cell of its parent and having the same genes as its parent

clonal

ˈklōn-ᵊl 

adjective

clone

2 of 2 verb

cloned; cloning

: to make a clone from

Medical Definition

clone

1 of 2 noun

ˈklōn 

1

: the aggregate of genetically identical cells or organisms asexually produced by a single progenitor cell or organism

2

: an individual grown from a single somatic cell or cell nucleus and genetically identical to it

3

: a group of replicas of all or part of a macromolecule and especially DNA

clonal

ˈklōn-ᵊl 

adjective

clonally

-ᵊl-ē 

adverb

clone

2 of 2 verb

cloned; cloning

transitive verb

: to propagate a clone from

frogs have been successfully cloned by transplanting nuclei from body cells to enucleated eggs

intransitive verb

: to produce a clone