gene

From German Gen, from Ancient Greek γενεά (geneá, “generation, descent”), from the aorist infinitive of γίγνομαι (gígnomai, “I come into being”). Coined by Danish botanist Wilhelm Ludwig Johannsen in 1909, in a German-language publication, from the last syllable of pangene.^[1]

• enPR: jēn, IPA^(key): /d͡ʒiːn/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -iːn
• Homophones: Gene, Jean

gene (plural genes)

2. (genetics) A theoretical unit of heredity of living organisms which may take several values and (in principle) predetermines a precise trait of an organism's form (phenotype), such as hair color.

   Coordinate term: phene

   Near-synonym: cistron (often synonymous)

   • 2013 June 21, Karen McVeigh, “US rules human genes can't be patented”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 2, page 10:

     The US supreme court has ruled unanimously that natural human genes cannot be patented, a decision that scientists and civil rights campaigners said removed a major barrier to patient care and medical innovation.

4. (molecular biology) A segment of DNA or RNA from a cell's or an organism's genome, that may take several forms and thus parameterizes a phenomenon, such as (often) the structure of a protein.

   Holonym: locus

   A change in a gene is reflected in the protein or RNA molecule that it codes for.

   • 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.

In the simplest case and in principle, a gene as a locus (or part of one) is supposed to be the physical reality corresponding to the theoretical gene as a unit of heredity; in practice, things are far more complicated and confused, which is well known and acknowledged. However, these questions are the subject of still very active scientific research, as well as the topic of both scientific and philosophical questions, especially on the real compatibility between both senses of the term.

• pangene

• locus
• allele
• dominant
• recessive

• gene on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

• Enge

From French gêne.

• IPA^(key): /sjeːnə/, [ˈɕeːnə]

gene c (singular definite genen, plural indefinite gener)

1. inconvenience, nuisance (something that bothers)

   Røgen fra skorstenen er til gene for naboerne.

   The smoke from the chimney is bothering the neighbours.

• “gene” in Den Danske Ordbog

• IPA^(key): /ɣeː.nə/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: ge‧ne
• Rhymes: -eːnə

By surface analysis, geen +‎ -e.

gene (personal plural genen) (obsolete outside set phrases)

1. one, person (preceded by a definite article or demonstrative)
2. the latter, the other
   • 1924 July 18, “Heriot en Poincaré. Vijanden of vrienden? Verschil van methode.”, in De Indische courant‎^[2], page 6:

     Hij verschilt zeker heel sterk van den heer Poincaré. Deze is jurist: gene is professor.

     He is surely very different from mister Poincaré. The former is a jurist: the other is a professor.

• geen

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

gene

1. inflection of geen:
   1. masculine/feminine singular attributive
   2. definite neuter singular attributive
   3. plural attributive

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

gene

1. (archaic) nominative/accusative feminine of geen

• geen, neeg, nege

• IPA^(key): /ˈd͡ʒɛ.ne/
• Rhymes: -ɛne
• Hyphenation: gè‧ne

From German Gen.

gene m (plural geni)

1. (genetics) gene

• genetica
• genetico
• genetista
• genico
• genotipo

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

gene f pl

1. plural of gena

From Old Dutch *gēn, from Proto-Germanic *jainaz.

• IPA^(key): /ˈɣeːnə/

gêne

1. that over there, yonder

• Dutch: geen

• “ghene (II)”, in Vroegmiddelnederlands Woordenboek, 2000
• Verwijs, E., Verdam, J. (1885–1929) “gene”, in Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek, The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, →ISBN

• Hyphenation: ge‧ne

gene m (plural genes)

1. (genetics) gene

• genética
• genético

• “gene”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2025

• IPA^(key): /ˈd͡ʒe.ne/
• Rhymes: -ene
• Hyphenation: ge‧ne

gene f

1. inflection of genă (“gene”):
   1. indefinite nominative/accusative plural
   2. indefinite genitive/dative singular

gene f

1. inflection of geană (“eyelash”):
   1. indefinite nominative/accusative plural
   2. indefinite genitive/dative singular

gene m (plural genes)

1. gene

   Synonym: gen

From Old Turkic *yana (“again”), from Proto-Turkic *yan- (“to return, turn back”).

gene

1. (colloquial) again

   Synonym: yine

gene

1. dative singular of gen