gene

English Online Dictionary. What means gene‎? What does gene mean?

English

Etymology

From German Gen, from Ancient Greek γενεά (geneá, “generation, descent”), from the aorist infinitive of γίγνομαι (gígnomai, “I come into being”). Coined by Danish botanist Wilhelm Ludwig Johannsen in 1909, in a German-language publication, from the last syllable of pangene.

Pronunciation

• enPR: jēn, IPA^(key): /d͡ʒiːn/
• Rhymes: -iːn
• Homophones: Gene, Jean

Noun

gene (plural genes)

1. (genetics) A theoretical unit of heredity of living organisms; a gene may take several values and in principle predetermines a precise trait of an organism's form (phenotype), such as hair color.

   Coordinate terms: cistron (sometimes synonymous); phene
2. (molecular biology) A segment of DNA or RNA from a cell's or an organism's genome, that may take several forms and thus parameterizes a phenomenon, in general the structure of a protein; locus.

Usage notes

In the simplest case and in principle, a gene locus is supposed to be the physical reality corresponding to the theoretical gene unit of heredity; in practice, things are far more complicated and confused, which is well known and acknowledged. However, these questions are the subject of still very active scientific research, as well as the topic of both scientific and philosophical questions, especially on the real compatibility between both senses of the term.

Derived terms

Related terms

• pangene

Translations

See also

• locus
• allele
• dominant
• recessive

References

Further reading

• gene on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Anagrams

• Enge

Danish

Etymology

From French gêne.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sjeːnə/, [ˈɕeːnə]

Noun

gene c (singular definite genen, plural indefinite gener)

1. inconvenience, nuisance (something that bothers)

Declension

References

• “gene” in Den Danske Ordbog

Dutch

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -eːnə

Adjective

gene

1. inflection of geen:
   1. masculine/feminine singular attributive
   2. definite neuter singular attributive
   3. plural attributive

Anagrams

• geen, neeg, nege

Italian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈd͡ʒɛ.ne/
• Rhymes: -ɛne
• Hyphenation: gè‧ne

Etymology 1

From German Gen.

Noun

gene m (plural geni)

1. (genetics) gene

Related terms

• genetica
• genetico
• genetista
• genico
• genotipo

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Noun

gene f pl

1. plural of gena

Middle Dutch

Etymology

From Old Dutch *gēn, from Proto-Germanic *jainaz.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɣeːnə/

Determiner

gêne

1. that over there, yonder

Descendants

• Dutch: geen

Further reading

• “ghene (II)”, in Vroegmiddelnederlands Woordenboek, 2000
• Verwijs, E., Verdam, J. (1885–1929) “gene”, in Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek, The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, →ISBN

Portuguese

Pronunciation

• Hyphenation: ge‧ne

Noun

gene m (plural genes)

1. (genetics) gene

Related terms

• genética
• genético

Further reading

• “gene”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2024

Romanian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈd͡ʒe.ne/
• Rhymes: -ene
• Hyphenation: ge‧ne

Etymology 1

Noun

gene f

1. inflection of genă (“gene”):
   1. indefinite nominative/accusative plural
   2. indefinite genitive/dative singular

Etymology 2

Noun

gene f

1. inflection of geană (“eyelash”):
   1. indefinite nominative/accusative plural
   2. indefinite genitive/dative singular

Spanish

Noun

gene m (plural genes)

1. gene

   Synonym: gen

Turkish

Etymology

From Old Turkic *yana (“again”), from Proto-Turkic *yan- (“to return, turn back”).

Adverb

gene

1. (colloquial) again

   Synonym: yine

Noun

gene

1. dative singular of gen