chromosome

19th century: from German Chromosom, ultimately from Ancient Greek χρῶμα (khrôma, “colour”) + σῶμα (sôma, “body”) (because they are stained under the microscope). Equivalent to chromo- +‎ -some.

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈkɹəʊ.məˌsəʊm/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈkɹoʊməˌsoʊm/

• Audio (UK):

  (file)

• Audio (US):

  (file)

chromosome (plural chromosomes)

1. (cytology, genetics) A linear arrangement of condensed DNA and associated proteins (such as chaperone proteins) which contains the genetic material (genome) of an organism.

   Chromosomes store genetic information.

   • 2019, Bill Bryson, The Body: A Guide for Occupants, Black Swan (2020), page 7:

     A length of DNA is divided into segments called chromosomes and shorter individual units called genes.

• “chromosome”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• William Dwight Whitney, Benjamin E[li] Smith, editors (1911), “chromosome”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., →OCLC.
• “chromosome”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.

19th century: chromo- +‎ -some, from German Chromosom, ultimately from Ancient Greek χρῶμα (khrôma, “colour”) + σῶμα (sôma, “body”) (because they are stained under the microscope).

• IPA^(key): /kʁɔ.mo.zom/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Homophone: chromosomes
• Hyphenation: chro‧mo‧some

chromosome m (plural chromosomes)

1. (biology, cytology) chromosome

• autosome
• chromoïde
• gonosome

• chromatide

• caryotype

• chromosome Y
• chromosomique
• hétérochromosome

• “chromosome”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.