Definition: Genetics

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Etymology

From Ancient Greek γένεσις or génesis (origin). Coined by English biologist William Bateson in 1905 in a letter to zoologist Adam Sedgwick, and first used publicly by Bateson at a lecture to the International Conference on Plant Hybridization in 1906.

Noun

genetics (uncountable)

  1. (biology) The branch of biology that deals with the transmission and variation of inherited characteristics, in particular chromosomes and DNA.
  2. (biology) The genetic makeup of a specific individual or species.

Derived terms

  • anthropogenetics
  • archaeogenetics
  • cardiogenetics
  • chemogenetics
  • cyrogenetics
  • demogenetics
  • ecogenetics
  • epigenetics
  • evolutionary genetics
  • immunogenetics
  • metagenetics
  • molecular genetics
  • morphogenetics
  • nephrogenetics
  • neurogenetics
  • oncogenetics
  • optogenetics
  • paleogenetics
  • pathogenetics
  • pharmacogenetics
  • phenogenetics
  • population genetics
  • psychogenetics
  • quantitative genetics
  • radiogenetics
  • reprogenetics
  • reverse genetics
  • sociogenetics
  • sonogenetics
  • telegenetics
  • thermogenetics
  • toxicogenetics

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