heterokaryosis

[ het-er-uh-kar-ee-oh-sis ]

noun

, Biology.

1. condition in which a binucleate or multinucleate cell contains genetically dissimilar nuclei.

Other Words From

• het·er·o·kar·y·ot·ic [het-er-, uh, -kar-ee-, ot, -ik], adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of heterokaryosis¹

First recorded in 1915–20; hetero- + karyo- + -sis