Definition of polymerase chain reaction
: an in vitro technique for rapidly synthesizing large quantities of a given DNA segment that involves separating the DNA into its two complementary strands, using DNA polymerase to synthesize two-stranded DNA from each single strand, and repeating the process
—abbreviation PCR
Test Your Vocabulary
Odd Habits and Quirks
-
- Which of the following best describes an easily irritated person?

Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZ
A daily challenge for crossword fanatics.
TAKE THE QUIZLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share polymerase chain reaction
Time Traveler for polymerase chain reaction
The first known use of polymerase chain reaction was in 1985
See more words from the same year