a unit inside a cell which controls a particular quality in a living thing that has been passed on from its parentsa dominant/recessive genegenes that code for the colour of the eyessee alsogeneticWordfinderbiologybiology,biotechnology,breed,cell,chromosome,DNA,gene,mutation,organism,proteinOxford Collocations Dictionaryadjectivedominant,recessive,abnormal,…verb + genecarry,have,pass on,…gene + verbaffect something,be responsible for something,cause something,…gene + nounpool,defect,mutation,…prepositiongene forSeefull entrySee related entries:Cell biology
Word Originearly 20th cent.: from German Gen, from Pangen, a supposed ultimate unit of heredity (from Greek pan- ‘all’ + genos ‘race, kind, offspring’).Extra examplesAn individual may pass on to future generations its genes for tallness.Gene mutations are alterations in the DNA code.Genes control the development of an embryo.The gene is passed on to their children.We may be able to identify the genes responsible for disease resistance.people who carry the gene that causes this diseaseIdioms
