gen

gene

noun HEN Rare

Origin: Borrowed from German 'Gen', coined by Johannsen, from Greek 'genos' (race, kind).

Usage Note

Gen is a loanword from modern genetics. The word is masculine despite ending in a consonant, so say el gen and los genes. It belongs to formal and scientific registers.

Examples

"El gen responsable del color de ojos varía."

Natural Translation

The gene responsible for eye color varies.

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