genetic drift

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noun

random changes in the frequency of alleles in a gene pool, usually of small populations.

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Compare gene flow.

Origin of genetic drift

First recorded in 1955–60

Words nearby genetic drift

genetically modified organism, genetic code, genetic counseling, genetic counselling, genetic disorder, genetic drift, genetic engineering, genetic fallacy, genetic fingerprint, genetic fingerprinting, geneticist

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use genetic drift in a sentence

The genetic material can grow quickly, but are typically riddled with errors or defects.
Design Your Own Dinosaur: The Era of Custom DNA|Justin Jones|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
But a 2011 study of genetic evidence from 30 ethnic groups in India disproved this theory.
The Himalayas’ Hidden Aryans|Nina Strochlic|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Prevalence depends on context, and sometimes unique advantages outweigh the genetic costs.
Mongooses, Meerkats, and Ants, Oh My! Why Some Animals Keep Mating All in the Family|Helen Thompson|December 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Is he the type of character who would ever join the group permanently, or is he more of a drift-in, drift-out kind of guy?
‘Walking Dead’ Showrunner Scott Gimple Teases ‘Darker, Weirder’ Times Ahead|Melissa Leon|December 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Cryobanks, which screen for genetic disorders and STDs, cost big bucks; see here for some of the charges.
Have Sperm, Will Travel: The ‘Natural Inseminators’ Helping Women Avoid the Sperm Bank|Elizabeth Picciuto|November 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
They stopped, leaning over a jagged fence made of sea-drift, to ask for water.
The Awakening and Selected Short Stories|Kate Chopin
Quite a number of sandeaters, as time passed, seemed to drift in and out of the back room.
Fee of the Frontier|Horace Brown Fyfe
For all that Marius had no Italian he understood the drift of the words, assisted as they were by the man's expressive gesture.
St. Martin's Summer|Rafael Sabatini
And they will jump into the air from the verge of high banks, and land on the drift at the bottom with perfect balance.
The Girls of Central High on the Stage|Gertrude W. Morrison
Their effect is, however, probably small as compared with that massive drift which we have now to note.
Outlines of the Earth's History|Nathaniel Southgate Shaler

Scientific definitions for genetic drift

genetic drift

Variation in the frequency of a gene in a small isolated population, thought to be due to random chance rather than natural selection.

Cultural definitions for genetic drift

genetic drift

A term that describes the random fluctuations in a gene pool over time. In large populations, the effects of genetic drift are negligible. (Compare natural selection.)