Download Genetics Vocabulary List

Genetics Vocabulary List
1. Acquired trait: traits (characteristics) that are gained by an organism after birth (QUIZ 1)
2. Alleles: the different forms of a gene (QUIZ 2)
3. Asexual reproduction: is a mode of reproduction by which offspring arise from a single
organism, and inherit the genes of that parent only (QUIZ 1)
4. Carrier: a person who has one recessive allele and one dominant allele for a trait (QUIZ 3)
5. Cell: the basic unit of structure and function in living things (from 6th-grade) (QUIZ 1)
6. Cell cycle: the series of events in which a cell grows, prepares for division, and divides to two
daughter cells (QUIZ 2)
7. Cell division: the division of a cell into two daughter cells with the same genetic material.
8. Chromosome: a threadlike structure of nucleic acids and protein found in the nucleus of most
living cells, carrying genetic information in the form of genes. (QUIZ 3)
9. Clone: an organism that is genetically identical to the organism from which it was produced
(QUIZ 1)
10. Codominance: a situation in which both alleles for a gene are expressed equally (QUIZ 3)
11. DNA: (deoxyribonucleic acid) the genetic material that carries information about an organism
and is passed from parent to offspring (QUIZ 3)
12. Dominant trait: a trait that always shows up in an organism when the allele is present (QUIZ 1)
13. Egg cell: A cell, found in females, which merges with a sperm cell to form a zygote.
14. Fertilization: the process in sexual reproduction in which an egg cell and a sperm cell join to
form a new cell (QUIZ 1)
15. Gene: a sequence of DNA that determines a trait and is passed from parent to offspring (QUIZ
3)
16. Genetics: the scientific study of heredity (QUIZ 1)
17. Genotype: genetic make up; alleles (QUIZ 2)
18. Heredity: the passing of traits from parents to offspring (QUIZ 1)
19. Heterozygous: having two different alleles for a particular gene(QUIZ 2)
20. Homozygous: having two identical alleles for a particular (QUIZ 2)
21. Hybrid: an offspring of crosses that has two different alleles for a trait (QUIZ 2)
22. Inherited trait: a characteristic that is passed from parent to offspring through genes (from
evolution unit) (QUIZ 1)
23. Meiosis: the process that occurs in the formation of sex cells (sperm & egg) by which the
number of chromosomes is reduced by half (QUIZ 2)
24. Mitosis: the second stage of the cell cycle during which the cell’s nucleus divides into two new
nuclei and one set of DNA is distributed into each daughter cell (QUIZ 2)
25. Multicellular: consisting of many cells (from 6th grade)
26. Mutation: any change in the DNA of a gene or chromosome
27. Nucleus: in cells, a large oval organelle that contains the cell’s genetic material in the form of
DNA and controls many of the cell’s activities (from 6th-grade)
28. Organelle: a tiny cell structure that carries out a specific function within a cell (from 6th-grade)
29. Pedigree: a chart that shows the presence of absence of a trait according to the relationships
within a family across several generations (QUIZ 3)
30. Phenotype: an organism’s physical appearance or visible traits (QUIZ 2)
Genetics Vocabulary List
31. Probability: a number that describes who likely it is that a particular event will occur (from
math) (QUIZ 2)
32. Punnett square: a chart that shows all the possible combinations of alleles that can result from a
genetic cross (QUIZ 2)
33. Purebred: an offspring of many generations that has the same form of a trait (QUIZ 2)
34. Recessive trait: a trait that is hidden whenever the dominant allele is present (QUIZ 1)
35. Scientific theory: a well-tested explanation for a wide range of observations or experiment
results
36. Sexual reproduction: the production of new living organisms (offspring) by combining genetic
information from two individuals (parents) (QUIZ 1)
37. Species: a group of similar organisms that can mate with each other and produce offspring that
can also mate and reproduce
38. Sperm cell: a cell, found in males, which merges with an egg cell to form a zygote
39. Trait: a specific characteristic that an organism can pass to its offspring through its genes
40. Unicellular: made of one cell (from 6th-grade)
41. Variation: any difference between individuals of the same species (QUIZ 1)
Words that are from previous or future units
and are in BLACK font will not be specifically
tested during our Genetics Unit.