gene

noun

ˈjēn 

plural genes

: a specific sequence of nucleotides in DNA or RNA that is located usually on a chromosome and that is the functional unit of inheritance controlling the transmission and expression of one or more traits by specifying the structure of a particular polypeptide and especially a protein or controlling the function of other genetic material

Examples of gene in a Sentence

She inherited a good set of genes from her parents.

Recent Examples on the Web

Indeed, Anthropic said this past week that its Claude AI helped discover a new enzyme system with properties similar to the gene-editing technology CRISPR. — Jason Ma, Fortune, 26 Sep. 2026

The gene variant showed no increased risk across 17 other cancers studied. — Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 25 Sep. 2026

One of those earlier findings was that the ectoderm of the early embryo activates two genes, one in the front half of the embryo, one in the back. — John Timmer, ArsTechnica, 23 Sep. 2026

The President’s genes were then compared with those of dozens of putative descendants, revealing so much overlap that his paternity of Hemings’s children is virtually certain. — Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 23 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

German Gen, short for Pangen, from pan- + -gen

First Known Use

1909, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing gene

• gene conversion
• gene editing
• gene flow
• gene frequency
• gene mutation
• gene pool
• gene-splicing
• gene therapy
• lethal gene
• regulator gene
• regulatory gene
• structural gene
• tumor suppressor gene

Rhymes for gene

• bean
• bein
• bien
• bouin
• clean
• deen
• acetylcysteine
• antisubmarine
• dichlorobenzene
• dimethylamine
• diphenylamine
• ethanolamine

Kids Definition

gene

noun

ˈjēn 

: a part of DNA or sometimes RNA that is usually located on a chromosome and that contains chemical information needed to make a particular protein (as an enzyme) controlling or influencing an inherited bodily trait or activity (as eye color or metabolism) or that influences or controls the activity of another gene or genes

Medical Definition

gene

noun

ˈjēn 

: a specific sequence of nucleotides in DNA or RNA that is located usually on a chromosome and that is the functional unit of inheritance controlling the transmission and expression of one or more traits by specifying the structure of a particular polypeptide and especially a protein or controlling the function of other genetic material

called also determinant, determiner, factor