gene mutation

noun

plural gene mutations

: a permanent alteration (as by point mutation or frameshift mutation) in the nucleotide sequence of a gene

Researchers have identified a gene mutation that's believed to predispose people to malignant melanoma, the deadliest and most aggressive type of skin cancer.

—Health News

compare point mutation

Examples of gene mutation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

When a fetus is identified as having the high-risk gene mutation, a harmless virus carrying a healthy copy of the encoding gene is injected directly into the umbilical vein. — William A. Haseltine, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026

Genetic testing later revealed that Phil carries the BRCA2 gene mutation, which increases the risk of several cancers, including breast, prostate and pancreatic cancer. — Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 18 July 2026

Experts estimate that up to 90% of cases are associated with gene mutations, such as RAS mutations (more on those below), which are linked to lifestyle and environmental factors. — Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 8 June 2026

It's caused by a gene mutation that leads to the death of motor neurons in the spinal cord. — Jon Hamilton, NPR, 3 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1904, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for gene mutation

• abbreviation
• abomination
• acceleration
• accentuation
• accommodation
• accreditation
• acculturation
• accumulation
• acetylation
• adjudication
• administration
• adulteration

Kids Definition

gene mutation

noun

: mutation due to a chemical change in a gene

Medical Definition

gene mutation

noun

: a permanent alteration (as a point mutation or frameshift mutation) in the nucleotide sequence of a gene

… there is a 50 percent chance each offspring will inherit the gene mutation and may develop the disease.

—Fred Cicetti

In early August the team published a study in Nature that chronicled how a single gene mutation in a laboratory strain of Escherichia coli could create a bacterium resistant to triclosan …

—Gary Stix