polygene

American

[pol-ee-jeen] / ˈpɒl iˌdʒin /

noun

Genetics

one of a group of nonallelic genes that together control a quantitative characteristic in an organism.

polygene British

/ ˈpɒlɪˌdʒiːn /

noun

any of a group of genes that each produce a small quantitative effect on a particular characteristic of the phenotype, such as height

"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

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

polygenic

adjective

Etymology

Origin of polygene

1940–45; back formation from polygenic; see poly-, gene, -ic

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