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

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Etymology

Origin of centromere

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

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Compare meaning

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

• centrosome vs. centromere

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

centromere

This gives a concrete genetic explanation for how yeast ended up with this unusual centromere type.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 10, 2026

Next, we want to understand how the kinetochore -- the protein machinery that recognizes centromeres -- can accommodate such dramatic changes in centromere DNA over evolutionary time.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 10, 2026

Understanding the structure of the centromere can contribute to more insights into the function of the centromere and its role in erroneous chromosomal segregation.

From Science Daily ● May 13, 2024

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

From Textbooks ● Apr. 25, 2013

A karyotype is the number and appearance of chromosomes, including their length, banding pattern, and centromere position.

From Textbooks ● Apr. 25, 2013

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