recombination
Americannoun
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genetics any of several processes by which genetic material of different origins becomes combined. It most commonly occurs between two sets of parental chromosomes during production of germ cells
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physics the union of free electrons and holes in a semiconductor or of free ions and electrons in a plasma
Etymology
Origin of recombination
1820–30, for general sense; 1900–05 for current sense; re- + combination
Explanation
In genetics, recombination is the process of two organisms exchanging pieces of genetic material. It's through recombination that two brown-eyed parents can end up with a blue-eyed baby. Recombination is responsible for genetic diversity — in other words, for offspring that aren't just like their parents. It happens at various stages of reproduction, notably during meiosis when chromosomes swap segments of DNA. This science term comes up in chemistry and physics as well, when molecules bond together or ions and electrons are joined. Recombination, "be united again," comes from the Late Latin combinationem, "a joining together two by two."
Vocabulary lists containing recombination
Genetics - Inheritance and Variation of Traits
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Evolutionary Biology - Natural Selection - Middle School
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Evolutionary Biology - Natural Selection - High School
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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.
Fabbri’s goal came after a pretty combination from Filip Zadina to Larkin, with Fabbri finishing for his team-leading 10th goal at 8:58.
From Seattle Times • Mar. 27, 2021
Canada kept rolling and Getzlaf and Perry were able to get Eric Staal in on the act with a very pretty combination play that led to Perry finishing from close range at 9:51.
From New York Times • Feb. 25, 2010
P-K3 fails on account of the following pretty combination: B—Kt5ch; 5.
From Chess Strategy by Du Mont, J.
See, this is our border, No. A 5, and our pedestal No. E, and our second quality urn, along of a nice appropriate text—a pretty combination and a cheap one.
From Certain Personal Matters by Wells, H. G. (Herbert George)
It’s an awfully pretty combination, and these little green and gilt tags are lovely, don’t you think?”
From Patty's Social Season by Wells, Carolyn
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.
