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recessive

 - 5 dictionary results

re⋅ces⋅sive

  [ri-ses-iv]
Use recessive in a Sentence
–adjective
1. tending to go, move, or slant back; receding.
2. Genetics. of or pertaining to a recessive.
3. Phonetics. (of an accent) showing a tendency to recede from the end toward the beginning of a word.
–noun Genetics.
4. that one of a pair of alternative alleles whose effect is masked by the activity of the second when both are present in the same cell or organism.
5. the trait or character determined by such an allele. Compare dominant (def. 6).
Origin:
1665–75; < L recess(us) (see recess ) + -ive

Related forms:
re⋅ces⋅sive⋅ly, adverb
re⋅ces⋅sive⋅ness, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To recessive
re·ces·sive   (rĭ-sěs'ĭv)   
adj.  

  1. Tending to go backward or recede.

    1. Genetics Of, relating to, or designating an allele that does not produce a characteristic effect when present with a dominant allele.

    2. Of or relating to a trait that is expressed only when the determining allele is present in the homozygous condition.

n.   Genetics

  1. A recessive allele or trait.

  2. An organism having a recessive trait.

re·ces'sive·ly adv., re·ces'sive·ness n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: 1re·ces·sive
Pronunciation: ri-'ses-iv
Function: adjective
1 : producing little or no phenotypic effect whenoccurring in heterozygous condition with a contrasting allele <recessive genes>
2 : expressed only when the determining gene is in the homozygous condition<recessive traits> —re·ces·sive·ly adverb —re·ces·sive·ness noun

Main Entry: 2recessive
Function: noun
1 : a recessive character or gene
2 : an organism possessing one or more recessivecharacters
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

recessive re·ces·sive (rĭ-sěs'ĭv)
adj.

  1. Tending to go backward or recede.

  2. Of, relating to, or being an allele that does not produce a characteristic effect when present with a dominant allele.

  3. O, or being a trait expressed only when the determining allele is present in the homozygous condition.

n.

  1. A recessive allele or trait.

  2. An organism having a recessive trait.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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