recessive

[ri-ses-iv] /rɪˈsɛs ɪv/
adjective
1.
tending to go, move, or slant back; receding.
2.
Genetics. of or pertaining to a recessive.
3.
Phonetics. (of an accent) showing a tendency to recede from the end toward the beginning of a word.
noun, Genetics.
4.
that one of a pair of alternative alleles whose effect is masked by the activity of the second when both are present in the same cell or organism.
5.
the trait or character determined by such an allele.
Compare dominant (def 6).
Origin
1665-75; < Latin recess(us) (see recess) + -ive
Related forms
recessively, adverb
recessiveness, noun
nonrecessive, adjective
unrecessive, adjective
unrecessively, adverb
Examples from the web for recessive
  • It is an autosomal recessive condition that more often affects males.
  • Closed stud-books result in the exposure of harmful recessive genes.
  • Use this student-friendly resource to learn more about genetics, heredity, and dominant and recessive traits.
  • It is nearly impossible to completely eliminate deleterious recessive genes from any population.
  • He discovered the patterns and importance of recombinant recessive and dominant traits.
  • The rare animals are the result of a recessive gene that gives them striking white coats instead of the normal golden fur.
  • These tests would be marker specific, not making difference between recessive and expressed traits.
  • The unusual animals are the result of a recessive gene that grants them snowy white coats instead of the normal golden fur.
  • Learn about dominant and recessive genes and play inheritance games to determine how traits will be expressed.
  • Both are caused by enzyme deficiencies arising from the inheritance from both parents of a recessive gene.
British Dictionary definitions for recessive

recessive

/rɪˈsɛsɪv/
adjective
1.
tending to recede or go back; receding
2.
(genetics)
  1. (of a gene) capable of producing its characteristic phenotype in the organism only when its allele is identical
  2. (of a character) controlled by such a gene Compare dominant (sense 4)
3.
(linguistics) (of stress) tending to be placed on or near the initial syllable of a polysyllabic word
noun
4.
(genetics)
  1. a recessive gene or character
  2. an organism having such a gene or character
Derived Forms
recessively, adverb
recessiveness, noun
Word Origin and History for recessive
adj.

1670s, from Latin recess-, past participle stem of recedere (see recede) + -ive. Linguistics sense is from 1879; in genetics, 1900, from German recessiv (Mendel, 1865). Related: Recessiveness.

recessive in Medicine

recessive re·ces·sive (rĭ-sěs'ĭv)
adj.

  1. Tending to go backward or recede.

  2. Of, relating to, or being an allele that does not produce a characteristic effect when present with a dominant allele.

  3. O, or being a trait expressed only when the determining allele is present in the homozygous condition.

n.

  1. A recessive allele or trait.

  2. An organism having a recessive trait.

recessive in Science
recessive
(rĭ-sěs'ĭv)
Relating to the form of a gene that is not expressed as a trait in an individual unless two such genes are inherited, one from each parent. In an organism having two different genes for a trait, the recessive form is overpowered by its counterpart, or dominant, form located on the other of a pair of chromosomes. In humans, lack of dimples is a recessive trait, while the presence of dimples is dominant. See more at carrier, inheritance. Compare dominant.