gene

IPA/dʒiːn/
KK[dʒˈin]IPA/dʒiːn/

gene — noun

  • genesingular
  • genesplural

1. A tiny piece of DNA inside the cells of every living plant or animal. Genes carr

1.nounB1
Definition

A tiny piece of DNA inside the cells of every living plant or animal. Genes carry the instructions that decide what a living thing looks like and how it grows, and they pass from parents to children.

Example

Scientists discovered a gene that controls the color of a person's eyes.

gene + that-clause for function

A baby gets one copy of each gene from its mother and another copy from its father.

copy of gene; gets ... from

Common collocations
  • carry a gene
  • discover a gene
  • gene for [something]
  • gene mutation
  • dominant / recessive gene
Synonyms
  • DNA sequence

    More technical; refers to the exact order of molecules in the gene rather than the gene as a unit of inheritance.

  • hereditary factor

    Older or more formal term for a gene; sometimes used in historical scientific contexts.

Grammar Patterns

gene + that-clause

gene + for + [trait]

Usage Note

Often used in the plural (genes) when talking about general inheritance or multiple traits. The singular (gene) is common when referring to a specific identified unit.

Common Mistakes

He has a gene of being tall.
He has a gene that makes him tall.
genes are not followed by 'of + trait'; use a that-clause or 'for + trait' instead.
His blue eyes are from his genes.
His blue eyes come from his genes.' or 'His genes determine his blue eye color.
'come from' is more natural than 'be from' for genes.
Idioms

be in one's genes

idiom

used to say that a particular quality, ability, or habit is natural to a person because it has been passed down from older family members

Kwame's brothers both became doctors, so helping people must be in his genes.

Her grandmother was a talented painter, and that artistic skill seems to be in her genes too.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Gene, DNA, chromosome, and genome all relate to heredity but at different scales. A gene is a single unit of DNA that codes for a specific trait (like eye color). DNA is the entire chemical molecule that carries genetic information — a gene is just one section of it. A chromosome is a tightly packed structure made of long DNA molecules, containing many genes. The genome is the complete set of all genetic material in an organism. For example: 'The scientist studied the gene for hair color' (a single unit), but 'The project mapped the entire human genome' (everything). A learner does not need to master all four at once — gene is the most common term in everyday English.

gene ↗DNA ↗chromosome ↗genome ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • gene for something
  • a copy of a gene
  • a variation in a gene

Prepositions

Etymology

GreekGermanEnglish

The word 'gene' was created in 1909 by the Danish scientist Wilhelm Johannsen. He took it from the Greek word 'genos' (γένος), which means 'birth, race, or family'. Before 'gene' became standard, scientists used the older term 'pangene' or simply 'factor'. The idea of a gene was already being studied by Gregor Mendel in the 1860s, though he called them 'factors' at the time.