Nearby Words
noun
1.
Biology.
a.
a sudden departure from the parent type in one or more heritable characteristics, caused by a change in a gene or a chromosome.
b.
an individual, species, or the like, resulting from such a departure.
2.
the act or process of changing.
3.
a change or alteration, as in form or nature.
4.
Phonetics. umlaut.
5.
Linguistics. (in Celtic languages) syntactically determined morphophonemic phenomena that affect initial sounds of words.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Link To mutation
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Mutation
is always a great word to know.
So is metaphase plate. Does it mean:
| substance consisting of a double helix which holds genetic material |
| plane cell section in equatorial plane of the metaphase spindle with chromosomes oriented upon it |
Example Sentences
- The good news: They've identified the genetic mutation that makes that possible.
- That's why there's so much worry about fallout: radiation increases the mutation rate— mistakes pile up.
- And the source of variation is mutation.
Collins
World English Dictionary
| mutation (mjuːˈteɪʃən) | |
| —n | |
| 1. | the act or process of mutating; change; alteration |
| 2. | a change or alteration |
| 3. | See also inversion a change in the chromosomes or genes of a cell. When this change occurs in the gametes the structure and development of the resultant offspring may be affected |
| 4. | another word for mutant |
| 5. | a physical characteristic of an individual resulting from this type of chromosomal change |
| 6. | phonetics |
| a. (in Germanic languages) another name for umlaut | |
| b. (in Celtic languages) a phonetic change in certain initial consonants caused by a preceding word | |
| mu'tational | |
| —adj | |
| mu'tationally | |
| —adv | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History
mutation
late 14c., "action of changing," from L. mutationem (nom. mutatio) "a changing," from mutatus, pp. of mutare "to change" (see mutable). Genetic sense is from 1894.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Medical Dictionary
mutation mu·ta·tion (my&oomacr;-tā'shən)
n.
The act or process of being altered or changed.
An alteration or change, as in nature, form, or quality.
A sudden structural change within a gene or chromosome of an organism resulting in the creation of a new character or trait not found in the parental type.
The process by which such a sudden structural change occurs, either through an alteration in the nucleotide sequence of the DNA coding for a gene or through a change in the physical arrangement of a chromosome.
A mutant.
mu·ta'tion·al adj.
mu·ta'tion·al·ly adv.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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American Heritage
Science Dictionary
mutation  (my -tā'shən) Pronunciation Key
A change in the structure of the genes or chromosomes of an organism. Mutations occurring in the reproductive cells, such as an egg or sperm, can be passed from one generation to the next. Most mutations occur in junk DNA and have no discernible effects on the survivability of an organism. Of the remaining mutations, the majority have harmful effects, while a minority can increase an organism's ability to survive. A mutation that benefits a species may evolve by means of natural selection into a trait shared by some or all members of the species. See Note at sickle cell anemia. |
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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