Meaning & use

chromosome

noun·Academic

A thread-like structure of tightly coiled DNA that carries genes and passes hereditary information to offspring.

See it in a sentence

Humans typically have forty-six chromosomes arranged in twenty-three pairs within each cell.

A mutation on a single chromosome can sometimes cause a serious genetic disorder.

A note on using this word

Chromosome refers to the visible, condensed structure; chromatin is the same material in its uncoiled, everyday state.

Words with a similar meaning

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