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heterogametic

American  
[het-uh-roh-guh-met-ik] / ˌhɛt ə roʊ gəˈmɛt ɪk /

adjective

Genetics.

  1. (of a species or individual organism) having two unlike gametes.

heterogametic British  
/ ˌhɛtərəʊɡəˈmɛtɪk /

adjective

  1. genetics denoting the sex that possesses dissimilar sex chromosomes. In humans and many other mammals it is the male sex, possessing one X-chromosome and one Y-chromosome Compare homogametic

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of heterogametic

First recorded in 1905–10; hetero- + gametic ( def. )

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

One possible explanation, known as the heterogametic sex hypothesis, links these differences to sex chromosomes.

From Science Daily • Oct. 28, 2025

In birds, the system is reversed: females are the heterogametic sex.

From Science Daily • Oct. 28, 2025

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.