gene

noun

\ ˈjēn

plural genes

Definition of gene

: 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

Example Sentences Phrases Containing gene Learn More About gene

Examples of gene in a Sentence

She inherited a good set of genes from her parents.

Recent Examples on the Web The researchers took advantage of the fact that humans have more than one hemoglobin gene. — New York Times, 27 June 2022 Aislynn had a partial deletion of both of her Tango 2 genes, because her mother and father each were carriers of one gene with a small deletion. — Terry Demio, The Enquirer, 5 May 2022 Approximately half of the participants in CEDAR carry at least one APOE gene, which may increase the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. — Sandee Lamotte, CNN, 26 Apr. 2022 One final gene was turned off to keep the pig from growing too large. — Karen Weintraub, USA TODAY, 11 Jan. 2022 While whole genome sequencing provided diagnoses — what researchers call the diagnostic yield — in 25% of cases overall, the yield reached 35% when the cause was thought to be tied to just one gene. — Andrew Joseph, STAT, 15 Nov. 2021 Plant growth is complicated, genetically speaking—there simply isn’t one single gene to tweak. — Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Aug. 2021 Genetics is complex because there is more than one gene that causes the disease. — John Cumbers, Forbes, 7 Apr. 2021 Diagnoses of DSDs once relied on hormone tests, anatomical inspections and imaging, followed by painstaking tests of one gene at a time. — Claire Ainsworth, Scientific American, 22 Oct. 2018 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'gene.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries Near gene

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gene

genealogist

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Last Updated

2 Jul 2022

Cite this Entry

“Gene.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gene. Accessed 4 Jul. 2022.

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More Definitions for gene

gene

noun

\ ˈjēn

Kids Definition of gene

: a unit of DNA that is usually located on a chromosome and that controls the development of one or more traits and is the basic unit by which genetic information is passed from parent to offspring

gene

noun

\ ˈjēn