heterogametic

American

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

adjective

Genetics.

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

heterogametic British

/ ˌhɛtərəʊɡəˈmɛtɪk /

adjective

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.

Sex determination in X. laevis follows a female heterogametic ZZ/ZW system48.

From Nature

This is supported by data from female heterogametic organisms, including higher seen for a handful of Z-linked markers than for autosomal markers in flycatchers.

From Nature

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