Genome Meaning
/ˈd͡ʒiː.nəʊm/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounThe complete genetic information (either DNA or, in some viruses, RNA) of an organism.
Sentence Examples
The genome of this virus is unknown.
The double helix that encodes our genome is an elegant structure.
CEFR Practice Quiz
Scientists mapped the entire ____ of the fruit fly to study its genes.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Mapping the entire human ____ was a landmark achievement that opened new doors for personalized medicine.
Word Origin & History
From earlier genom, from German Genom, coined by German botanist Hans Winkler in 1920 as a blend of Gen (“gene”) + Chromosom (“chromosome”). By surface analysis, gen(e) + -ome, or a blend of gen(e) + (chromos)ome. Spelling altered to reflect the surface analysis.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Creating a complete map of the human connectome would therefore be a monumental milestone but not the end of the journey to understanding how our brains work. The achievement will transform neuroscience and serve as the starting point for asking questions we could not otherwise have answered, just as having the human genome has made it possible to ask new questions about cellular and molecular systems."
— 2012 March-April, Terrence J. Sejnowski, “Well-connected Brains”, in American Scientist, volume 100, number 2, archived from the original on 27 Apr 2017, page 171:
"Because of her significant testing, Avery had had DNA sequencing of her “exome,” the part of her genome that makes proteins in the body, said Dr. Michael Wangler, a researcher at the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children’s Hospital."
— 2017 December 18, Ashley Strickland, “Mystery condition gives way to bright future for 10-year-old”, in CNN:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
Scientists mapped the entire ____ of the fruit fly to study its genes.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Mapping the entire human ____ was a landmark achievement that opened new doors for personalized medicine.