polygenic

adjective

poly·​gen·​ic ˌpä-lē-ˈje-nik  -ˈjē- 

: of, relating to, mediated by, or constituting polygenes : involving two or more nonallelic genes collectively in determining inherited characteristics : multifactorial sense 1

polygenic inheritance

polygenic traits

Others think the allergic state is polygenic: transmitted by a number of genes whose combined expression is necessary to make a person allergic.

—Paul D. Buisseret

Examples of polygenic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In contrast to diseases such as Tay-Sachs or cystic fibrosis, where mutations in a single gene cause a disease, chronic diseases tend to be polygenic, meaning they’re influenced by multiple mutations at many genes across the whole genome. —Arun Durvasula, The Conversation, 14 May 2025

From genomic studies, scientists have developed the polygenic index, or PGI, a way to score the likelihood of a wide range of genetic outcomes. —Kate Zernike, New York Times, 23 Mar. 2025

Depositphotos The researchers performed polygenic risk score (PRS) analysis to determine whether these associations have a genetic basis. —Paul McClure 05, New Atlas, 5 Feb. 2025

Since recruitment started in 2006, the data—which was used in more than 3,000 scientific papers published last year—has enabled innovations like the concept of the polygenic risk score, which measures the genetic risk of diseases. —TIME, 2 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

poly- + gene + -ic entry 1, after German polygen

Note: The term polygen was introduced by the German zoologist and social Darwinist Ludwig Plate (1862-1937) in Vererbungslehre, mit besonderer Berücksichtigung des Menschen (Leipzig, 1913), p. 75

First Known Use

1928, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for polygenic

• allergenic
• androgenic
• antigenic
• authigenic
• autogenic
• biogenic
• bronchogenic
• chromogenic
• cryogenic
• echogenic
• estrogenic
• isogenic

Medical Definition

polygenic

adjective

poly·​gen·​ic ˌpäl-i-ˈjēn-ik  -ˈjen-ik 

: of, relating to, or resulting from polygenes : multifactorial

a polygenic disorder

polygenically

-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb