genetics

noun

ge·​net·​ics jə-ˈne-tiks How to pronounce genetics (audio)
plural in form but singular in construction
1
: a branch of biology that deals with the heredity and variation of organisms
2
: the genetic makeup and phenomena of an organism, type, group, or condition
geneticist noun

Examples of genetics in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Greg Lutz of Louisiana State University, who has been researching the role of genetics in aquaculture for decades, told MIT Technology. al, 5 Feb. 2023 While a bulk of living longer and avoiding debilitating chronic illnesses lies in lifestyle changes, another factor is genetics, and the other is mere luck. Alexa Mikhail, Fortune, 1 Feb. 2023 George Church is a professor of genetics and of health sciences and technology at Harvard Medical School and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Juergen Eckhardt and George Church, STAT, 1 Feb. 2023 The field of genetics has historically been misused to justify pre-existing prejudices. Teresa Nowakowski, Smithsonian Magazine, 30 Jan. 2023 In a best-case scenario for the coral, these mixing gametes will fertilize, exchanging the sort of genetics that allow for resilience in what has always been a changing ocean world. Stephanie Hanes, The Christian Science Monitor, 23 Jan. 2023 Part of it is genetics -- the requisite combination of size, length and athleticism. Chris Fedor, cleveland, 31 Dec. 2022 Most existing repositories include data from overwhelmingly white populations, which misses the rich diversity of human genetics. David Ewing Duncan, Scientific American, 7 Dec. 2022 While there are some genetics involved, Avena says emotional eating leans much more toward environmental factors. Sara Novak, Discover Magazine, 29 Dec. 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'genetics.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1905, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of genetics was in 1905

Dictionary Entries Near genetics

Cite this Entry

“Genetics.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/genetics. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

genetics

noun
ge·​net·​ics jə-ˈnet-iks How to pronounce genetics (audio)
: a branch of biology that deals with the inherited traits and variation of organisms

Medical Definition

genetics

noun, plural in form but singular in construction
ge·​net·​ics jə-ˈnet-iks How to pronounce genetics (audio)
1
a
: a branch of biology that deals with the heredity and variation of organisms
b
: a treatise or textbook on genetics
2
: the genetic makeup and phenomena of an organism, type, group, or condition

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