homeotic

adjective

ho·​me·​o·​tic ˌhō-mē-ˈä-tik 

ˌhä-

: relating to, caused by, or being a gene producing a usually major shift in the developmental fate of an organ or body part

Word History

Etymology

from homeosis, homoeosis a shift in structural development, from Greek homoiōsis assimilation, resemblance, from homoioun to make like, from homoios

First Known Use

1894, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for homeotic

• actinic
• agnatic
• bailiwick
• bolshevik
• candlestick
• deontic
• firebrick
• herpetic
• judaic
• lunatic
• menshevik
• orthotic

Medical Definition

homeotic

adjective

ho·​me·​ot·​ic

variants also homoeotic

ˌhō-mē-ˈät-ik 

: relating to, caused by, or being a homeotic gene

a homeotic mutant causing replacement of an antenna by a leg in a fruit fly

homeotically

-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb