homozygous

[ hoh-muh-zahy-guh s, hom-uh- ]

/ ˌhoʊ məˈzaɪ gəs, ˌhɒm ə- /

adjective Biology.

having identical pairs of genes for any given pair of hereditary characteristics.

of or relating to a homozygote.

QUIZZES

Discover The Influence Of Portuguese On English Via This Quiz!

We’ve gathered some interesting words donated to English from Portuguese … as well as some that just don’t translate at all. Do you know what they mean?

Question 1 of 11

Which of the following bird names traces its immediate origin to Portuguese?

owl

crow

piranha

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Words nearby homozygous

homotypic cortex, homovanillic acid, homozygosis, homozygosity, homozygote, homozygous, homozygous by descent, homs, homunculus, homy, homyel'

Also ho·mo·zy·got·ic

[hoh-moh-zahy-got-ik, hom-oh-] /ˌhoʊ moʊ zaɪˈgɒt ɪk, ˌhɒm oʊ-/.

Origin of homozygous

1900–05; homo- + Greek -zygos; see zygo-, -ous

OTHER WORDS FROM homozygous

ho·mo·zy·gos·i·ty

[hoh-moh-zahy-gos-i-tee, -zi-, hom-oh-] /ˌhoʊ moʊ zaɪˈgɒs ɪ ti, -zɪ-, ˌhɒm oʊ-/, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

British Dictionary definitions for homozygosity

homozygous

/ (ˌhəʊməʊˈzaɪɡəs, -ˈzɪɡ-, ˌhɒm-) /

adjective

genetics (of an organism) having identical alleles for any one genethese two fruit flies are homozygous for red eye colour Compare heterozygous

Derived forms of homozygous

homozygously, adverb

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

Medical definitions for homozygosity (1 of 2)

homozygosity

[ hō′mō-zī-gŏs′ĭ-tē, hŏm′ō- ]

n.

The condition of having identical genes at one or more loci in homologous chromosome segments.

Medical definitions for homozygosity (2 of 2)

homozygous

[ hō′mō-zī′gəs, -mə-, hŏm′ə- ]

adj.

Having the same alleles at one or more gene loci on homologous chromosome segments.

Scientific definitions for homozygosity

homozygous

[ hō′mō-zī′gəs ]

Relating to a cell that has two identical alleles for a particular trait at corresponding positions on homologous chromosomes. Compare heterozygous.