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• Y chromosome
  Y chromosome

  noun

  a sex chromosome of humans and most mammals that is present only in males and is paired with an X chromosome.
• Y-chromosome
  Y-chromosome

  noun

  the sex chromosome that occurs as one of a pair with the X-chromosome in the diploid cells of the males of many animals, including humans Compare X-chromosome

Y chromosome

American  

noun

Genetics.

1. a sex chromosome of humans and most mammals that is present only in males and is paired with an X chromosome.

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Y-chromosome British  

noun

1. the sex chromosome that occurs as one of a pair with the X-chromosome in the diploid cells of the males of many animals, including humans Compare X-chromosome

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Y-chromosome Scientific  

1. The sex chromosome that is paired with an X-chromosome in males. Most of the genes on the X-chromosome determine physical attributes associated with males, such as the development of testes.

2. See more at sex chromosome See Note at sex

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Etymology

Origin of Y chromosome

First recorded in 1920–25

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Y chromosome Y-chromosome

If the Y chromosome from these remains matches that of living descendants, it would strengthen historical records and family lineage reconstructions.

From Science Daily ● May 4, 2026

"While the direct evidence of physical advantage in transgender people is pretty strong, the evidence of advantage for those with DSD, even though they have a Y chromosome, is highly disputed."

From BBC ● Mar. 31, 2026

Because of this, tissues where cells divide quickly are more likely to accumulate Y chromosome loss.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 20, 2026

As men grow older, some of their cells gradually lose the Y chromosome.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 20, 2026

The females that gave these results were found by Bridges to have two X's and a Y chromosome.

From A Critique of the Theory of Evolution by Thomas Hunt Morgan

We then compared the Y-chromosome and mitochondrial DNA, which track the male and female lines of descent, respectively.

From Science Daily ● May 30, 2026

The scientists are confident it really is Hitler's blood, because they were able to perfectly match the Y-chromosome with a DNA sample from a male relative that had been collected a decade prior.

From BBC ● Nov. 14, 2025

The 2015 study uploaded Roma DNA to the Y-STR Haplotype Reference Database, or YHRD, a searchable worldwide collection of anonymous Y-chromosome profiles that has become a crucial and contested tool helping police solve crimes.

From New York Times ● Nov. 17, 2021

Because Sitting Bull only had daughters, researchers couldn’t trace the lock’s lineage using mitochondrial DNA, which is passed down from mother to daughter, or Y-chromosome DNA, which follows the male line.

From Science Magazine ● Oct. 26, 2021

"The only thing that puzzles me," Kennon went on, "is how you managed to eliminate the Y-chromosome carriers within the sperm."

From The Lani People by Jesse F. (Jesse Franklin) Bone