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

Even men who lack Y chromosomes still have a copy of the SRY region on one of their X chromosomes, which accounts for their maleness.

From Los Angeles Times

As men grow older, some of their cells gradually lose the Y chromosome.

From Science Daily

First, even though the physical spacing between these sequences can change, their order along the chromosome tends to stay consistent.

From Science Daily

One of the earliest warning signs in this process is the presence of chromosomal abnormalities, which include changes in chromosome number or structure.

From Science Daily

These regions of DNA ensure that chromosomes are properly separated when cells divide.

From Science Daily