chromosome

American  

[kroh-muh-sohm] / ˈkroʊ məˌsoʊm /

noun

Genetics.

1. any of several threadlike bodies, consisting of chromatin, that carry the genes in a linear order: the human species has 23 pairs, designated 1 to 22 in order of decreasing size and X and Y for the sex-determining chromosomes.

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chromosome British  

/ ˈkrəʊməˌsəʊm /

noun

1. any of the microscopic rod-shaped structures that appear in a cell nucleus during cell division, consisting of nucleoprotein arranged into units (genes) that are responsible for the transmission of hereditary characteristics See also homologous chromosomes

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chromosome Scientific  

/ krō′mə-sōm′ /

1. A structure in all living cells that consists of a single molecule of DNA bonded to various proteins and that carries the genes determining heredity. In all eukaryotic cells, the chromosomes occur as threadlike strands in the nucleus. During cell reproduction, these strands coil up and condense into much thicker structures that are easily viewed under a microscope. Chromosomes occur in pairs in all of the cells of eukaryotes except the reproductive cells, which have one of each chromosome, and some red blood cells (such as those of mammals) that expel their nuclei. In bacterial cells and other prokaryotes, which have no nucleus, the chromosome is a circular strand of DNA located in the cytoplasm.

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Other Word Forms

• chromosomal adjective
• chromosomally adverb
• interchromosomal adjective
• interchromosomally adverb
• nonchromosomal adjective

Etymology

Origin of chromosome

First recorded in 1885–90; chromo- + -some ³

Compare meaning

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

• chromosome vs. chromatid
• chromatin vs. chromosome
• plasmid vs. chromosome

Example Sentences

Cells with extra chromosomes often grew larger than normal and eventually died.

From Science Daily

They focused on genes involved in building telomeres, the protective caps at the ends of chromosomes that Levine compares to the plastic tips on shoelaces.

From Science Daily

It analyzes longitudinal, single-cell data to trace how cancer cells move through different chromosome combinations over time.

From Science Daily

"In this study, we successfully assembled the first complete cattle X chromosome and four autosomes. However, assembling the remaining chromosomes to the same level of completeness remains an aim for future work," Dr. Low said.

From Science Daily

What sets these viruses apart is their unusual ability to insert their genetic material into human chromosomes.

From Science Daily