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heterozygous

[het-er-uh-zahy-guh s]
adjective Biology.
  1. having dissimilar pairs of genes for any hereditary characteristic.
  2. of or relating to a heterozygote.
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Also het·er·o·zy·got·ic [het-uh-roh-zahy-got-ik] /ˌhɛt ə roʊ zaɪˈgɒt ɪk/.

Origin of heterozygous

1900–05; hetero- + Greek zygós, adj. derivative of zygón yolk; see -ous
Related formshet·er·o·zy·gos·i·ty [het-uh-roh-zahy-gos-i-tee] /ˌhɛt ə roʊ zaɪˈgɒs ɪ ti/, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
British Dictionary definitions for heterozygosity

heterozygous

adjective
  1. genetics (of an organism) having different alleles for any one geneheterozygous for eye colour Compare homozygous
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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

Word Origin and History for heterozygosity

heterozygous

adj.

1889, from heterozygote, from hetero- + zygote.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
heterozygosity in Medicine

heterozygosity

(hĕt′ə-rō-zī-gŏs′ĭ-tē)
n.
  1. The state of being heterozygous.
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heterozygous

(hĕt′ər-ə-zī′gəs)
adj.
  1. Having different alleles at one or more corresponding chromosomal loci.
  2. Of or relating to a heterozygote.
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The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
heterozygosity in Science

heterozygous

[hĕt′ər-ə-zī′gəs]
  1. Relating to a cell that has two different alleles at corresponding positions on homologous chromosomes. Compare homozygous.
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The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.