genetics

noun, plural in form but singular in construction ge·net·ics \ jə-ˈne-tiks \

|Updated on: 16 Jun 2018

Definition of genetics

1 : a branch of biology that deals with the heredity and variation of organisms

2 : the genetic makeup and phenomena of an organism, type, group, or condition

—

geneticist

play \jə-ˈne-tə-sist\ noun

Recent Examples of genetics from the Web

His father retired as a genetics professor at Northern Illinois University, also in DeKalb.

— New York Times, "Rachel Machta, James Polans," 10 June 2018
Krainer, a molecular genetics professor at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory on Long Island, N.Y., had worked on the scientific underpinnings of the medicine for more than 15 years.

— jonathan saltzman — boston globe, STAT, "‘Standing on the shoulders of Spinraza,’ a startup seeks answers to insidious form of epilepsy," 18 May 2018
Greaves reviewed more than 30 years of research, including his own, on the genetics, cell biology, immunology, epidemiology and animal modeling of childhood leukemia and reached this conclusion.

— meera senthilingam and jessie yeung, CNN, "A germ-free childhood could trigger leukemia, scientist suggests," 22 May 2018
Krainer, a molecular genetics professor at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory on Long Island, N.Y., had worked on the scientific underpinnings of the medicine for more than 15 years.

— jonathan saltzman — boston globe, STAT, "‘Standing on the shoulders of Spinraza,’ a startup seeks answers to insidious form of epilepsy," 18 May 2018
Krainer, a molecular genetics professor at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory on Long Island, N.Y., had worked on the scientific underpinnings of the medicine for more than 15 years.

— jonathan saltzman, BostonGlobe.com, "Startup seeks answers to insidious form of epilepsy," 16 May 2018
Parul Jayakar, a genetics and metabolic physician, is director of Miami Genetic Laboratories at Nicklaus Children's Hospital in Miami.

— tarpley hitt, miamiherald, "New rapid genetic sequencing saved this baby. Now, the test is coming to Miami | Miami Herald," 30 Apr. 2018
On stage at a genetics conference Thursday, 16-month-old Sebastina Manuel tried to snag the mic out of her mom’s hand.

— paul sisson, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Genetic sequencing helps Fallbrook toddler defy odds," 27 Apr. 2018
Suddenly, Soo-Kyung, 42, and her husband Jae Lee, 57, another genetics specialist at OHSU, had to transform from dispassionate scientists into parents of a patient, desperate for answers.

— author: pam belluck, Anchorage Daily News, "Infinitesimal odds: A scientist finds her child’s rare illness stems from the gene she studies," 25 Apr. 2018

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

First Known Use of genetics

1905

in the meaning defined at sense 1

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Other Genetics Terms

chimera, hermaphrodite, plasticity

GENETICS Defined for English Language Learners

genetics

noun

Definition of genetics for English Language Learners

: the scientific study of how genes control the characteristics of plants and animals

GENETICS Defined for Kids

genetics

noun ge·net·ics \ jə-ˈne-tiks \

Definition of genetics for Students

: the scientific study of how the characteristics of living things are controlled by genes

Medical Dictionary

genetics

noun plural but singular in construction ge·net·ics \ jə-ˈnet-iks \

medical Definition of genetics

1 a : a branch of biology that deals with the heredity and variation of organisms

b : a treatise or textbook on genetics

2 : the genetic makeup and phenomena of an organism, type, group, or condition

Learn More about genetics

See words that rhyme with genetics Spanish Central: Translation of genetics Nglish: Translation of genetics for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of genetics for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about genetics

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genetics

Definition of genetics

geneticist

Recent Examples of genetics from the Web

First Known Use of genetics

Other Genetics Terms

GENETICS Defined for English Language Learners

genetics

Definition of genetics for English Language Learners

GENETICS Defined for Kids

genetics

Definition of genetics for Students

Medical Dictionary

genetics

medical Definition of genetics

Learn More about genetics

Seen and Heard

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