centromere

American  

[sen-truh-meer] / ˈsɛn trəˌmɪər /

noun

Cell Biology.

1. a specialized structure on the chromosome, appearing during cell division as the constricted central region where the two chromatids are held together and form an X shape.

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centromere British  

/ ˈsɛntrəˌmɪə /

noun

1. the dense nonstaining region of a chromosome that attaches it to the spindle during mitosis

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centromere Scientific  

/ sĕn′trə-mîr′ /

1. The region of the chromosome to which the spindle fiber is attached during cell division (both mitosis and meiosis). The centromere is the constricted point at which the two chromatids forming the chromosome are joined together.

2. See more at meiosis mitosis

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Other Word Forms

• centromeric
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of centromere

First recorded in 1920–25; centro- + -mere

Compare meaning

How does centromere compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• centrosome vs. centromere

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

centromere

The researchers discovered that the centromere consists of two subdomains.

From Science Daily ● May 13, 2024

The centromere is a part of the chromosome that plays a vital role in chromosome segregation during mitosis.

From Science Daily ● May 13, 2024

To investigate the centromere structure, the researchers used a combination of imaging and sequencing techniques.

From Science Daily ● May 13, 2024

The connection between the sister chromatids is closest in a region called the centromere.

From Textbooks ● Jun. 9, 2022

Each sister chromatid attaches to spindle microtubules at the centromere via a protein complex called the kinetochore.

From Textbooks ● Apr. 25, 2013