English Online Dictionary. What means genome? What does genome mean?
English
Alternative forms
- genom (dated)
Etymology
From earlier genom, from German Genom, coined by German botanist Hans Winkler in 1920 as a blend of Gen (“gene”) + Chromosom (“chromosome”). By surface analysis, gene + -ome, or a blend of gene + chromosome. Spelling altered to reflect the surface analysis.
Pronunciation
- (UK) IPA(key): /ˈd͡ʒiː.nəʊm/
- (US) IPA(key): /ˈd͡ʒiː.noʊm/, /d͡ʒɨˈnoʊm/
Noun
genome (plural genomes)
- (genetics) The complete genetic information (either DNA or, in some viruses, RNA) of an organism. [from 1930]