translocation

noun

trans·​lo·​ca·​tion ˌtran(t)s-lō-ˈkā-shən 

ˌtranz-

: the act, process, or an instance of changing location or position: such as

a

: the conduction of soluble material (such as metabolic products) from one part of a plant to another

b

: transfer of part of a chromosome to a different position especially on a nonhomologous chromosome

especially : the exchange of parts between nonhomologous chromosomes

translocate

ˈtran(t)s-lō-ˌkāt 

ˈtranz-lō-

(ˌ)tran(t)s-ˈlō- 

(ˌ)tranz-ˈlō-

verb

Examples of translocation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Calhoun’s translocation experiment convinced him that there was still a lot to learn about the social lives of rats. —Elizabeth Kolbert, The New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2024

Professor Ewen’s expertise focuses on recovering small populations of a wide variety of endangered species, often involving conservation translocation, and making the complicated decisions surrounding these efforts. —Grrlscientist, Forbes, 25 Sep. 2024

The release was planned to occur several times already, but was pushed back in order to ensure that there were enough chicks for the translocation (read more about that here). —Grrlscientist, Forbes, 5 Sep. 2024

By 1990, over 70 translocations had been identified in cancers. —Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 5 Aug. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1617, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

translocation

noun

trans·​lo·​ca·​tion ˌtran(t)s-lō-ˈkā-shən, ˌtranz- 

1

: transfer of part of a chromosome to a different position especially on a nonhomologous chromosome

especially : the exchange of parts between nonhomologous chromosomes

2

: a chromosome or part of a chromosome that has undergone translocation

translocate

-ˈlō-ˌkāt 

verb

translocated; translocating