recombinant

American  

[ree-kom-buh-nuhnt] / riˈkɒm bə nənt /

adjective

1. of or resulting from new combinations of genetic material.

   recombinant cells.

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noun

1. a cell or organism whose genetic complement results from recombination.

2. the genetic material produced when segments of DNA from different sources are joined to produce recombinant DNA.

recombinant British  

/ riːˈkɒmbɪnənt /

adjective

1. produced by the combining of genetic material from more than one origin

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noun

1. a chromosome, cell, organism, etc, the genetic makeup of which results from recombination

Etymology

Origin of recombinant

First recorded in 1940–45; re- + combine + -ant

Explanation

In genetics, something is recombinant if it's formed when two molecules of DNA exchange genetic material. This exchange can result in recombinant traits, like a child having a different eye color than either parent. Recombinant comes from the verb recombine, to "combine again," and this word is all about the combination and recombination of genes. The process happens in several different ways, but one of the most important occurs during meiosis, or the cell division that creates egg and sperm cells. Recombinant genes, which have traded bits of DNA, result in a more genetically diverse species.

Example Sentences

Recombinant DNA technology, as the method was called, allowed researchers to quickly identify the structure of hormones that are encoded by genes.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 29, 2025

Recombinant protein vaccines, like the Novavax vaccine used to fight COVID-19, offer several advantages over conventional vaccines.

From Science Daily • Feb. 26, 2024

The first letter, “Potential Hazards of Recombinant DNA Molecules,” called for a moratorium on certain experiments that transferred genes between different species, a technology fundamental to genetic engineering.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 25, 2023

Recombinant DNA has been used in monoclonal antibodies that can be used as part of covid treatment, and in the latest coronavirus vaccine, Novavax, which was given emergency approval by the U.S.

From Washington Post • Feb. 18, 2023

Recombinant DNA technology was used to produce large-scale quantities of human insulin in E. coli as early as 1978.

From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022