recombination

noun

re·​com·​bi·​na·​tion ˌrē-ˌkäm-bə-ˈnā-shən 

: the formation by the processes of crossing-over and independent assortment of new combinations of genes in progeny that did not occur in the parents

recombinational

ˌrē-ˌkäm-bə-ˈnā-shnəl 

-shə-nᵊl

adjective

Examples of recombination in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Costco, though, was a shrewd recombination of what had come before rather than a straight copy. —Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 20 Oct. 2025

That model shaped business schools, K–12 ideation, and — ironically — today’s generative AI (random recombination plus statistical convergence). —Big Think, 9 Sep. 2025

New offerings, services, and IP emerge not from the ether, but from the articulation and recombination of existing knowledge. —Rhea Wessel, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025

Much of intellectual history is a recombination of prior thought in new contexts. —Chris Reed, Oc Register, 30 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1903, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for recombination

• abbreviation
• abomination
• acceleration
• accentuation
• accommodation
• accreditation
• acculturation
• accumulation
• acetylation
• adjudication
• administration
• adulteration

Kids Definition

recombination

noun

re·​com·​bi·​na·​tion ˌrē-ˌkäm-bə-ˈnā-shən 

: the formation of new combinations of genes

Medical Definition

recombination

noun

re·​com·​bi·​na·​tion ˌrē-ˌkäm-bə-ˈnā-shən 

: the formation by the processes of crossing-over and independent assortment of new combinations of genes in progeny that did not occur in the parents

recombinational

-shnəl, -shən-ᵊl 

adjective