acrocentric

[ ak-ruh-sen-trik ]

adjective

, Genetics.

1. of or relating to any chromosome or chromatid whose centromere is closer to one end than to the other, creating two unequal chromosome arms. Compare acentric ( def 2 ), metacentric ( def 2 ), telocentric.

acrocentric

/ ˌækrəʊˈsɛntrɪk /

adjective

1. (of a chromosome) having the centromere at one end

noun

1. an acrocentric chromosome

Word History and Origins

Origin of acrocentric¹

First recorded in 1940–45; acro- + -centric

Example Sentences

We found that every acrocentric chromosome, and every rDNA on that acrocentric chromosome, had variants, changes to the repeat unit that was private to that particular chromosome.

From Science News

These “acrocentric chromosomes” don’t resemble nice, neat X’s the way the rest of the chromosomes do.

From Science News