geneticist

American  

[juh-net-uh-sist] / dʒəˈnɛt ə sɪst /

noun

1. a specialist or expert in genetics.

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geneticist British  

/ dʒɪˈnɛtɪsɪst /

noun

1. a person who studies or specializes in genetics

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Etymology

Origin of geneticist

First recorded in 1910–15; genetic + -ist

Explanation

A geneticist is a scientist who studies the traits that are passed from parents to their offspring. If you're fascinated with DNA, you might want to be a geneticist. Genetics is the branch of biology that focuses on genes, and it's practiced by geneticists. These scientists study the way genes are passed from one generation to the next, including how they vary or mutate. Some geneticists work with plants, improving their genetic resistance to disease or pests; others counsel patients who have inherited diseases or conditions. Geneticist is from genetics, originally defined as "pertaining to origins," from the Greek root genesis, "origin."

Example Sentences

Geneticist Marlena Fejzo lost a pregnancy after a doctor downplayed the seriousness of her HG.

From Slate • Sep. 15, 2024

Geneticist and University College London lecturer Adam Rutherford says that for some in his field, the Buffalo shooting has elicited a very understandable moment of self-reflection: “What is happening here? Is what we’re doing right?”

From Scientific American • Dec. 22, 2022

Geneticist, Andrew Hessel, counters that pet cloning comes with very few ethical concerns, if it is done responsibly.

From BBC • Apr. 3, 2022

Geneticist Yingying Tang, who heads the in-house molecular genetics lab there, says the new study results make her “pretty confident with the cardiac and epilepsy panels I have.”

From Science Magazine • Feb. 9, 2022

Geneticist Alondra Nelson analyses the rise in DNA 'roots' testing among African Americans seeking their lost identity.

From Nature • Oct. 4, 2016