Barr body
[ bahr ]
noun
a condensed, inactivated X chromosome present in most female mammals in the nuclei of all cells except the germ cells: used, as in sports competitions, to verify that an individual is genetically female.
Origin of Barr body
1First recorded in 1960–65; named after Murray L. Barr (1908–88), Canadian physician
- Also called sex chromatin.
Words Nearby Barr body
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
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