recessive

[ ri-ses-iv ]
/ rɪˈsɛs ɪv /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR recessive ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

tending to go, move, or slant back; receding.
Genetics. of or relating to a recessive.
Phonetics. (of an accent) showing a tendency to recede from the end toward the beginning of a word.

noun Genetics.

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.
the trait or character determined by such an allele. Compare dominant(def 6).

Origin of recessive

1665–75; < Latin recess(us) (see recess) + -ive

OTHER WORDS FROM recessive

Words nearby recessive

recessional, recessional moraine, recessionary, recessionista, recessionproof, recessive, recessive character, recessive gene, recessive inheritance, recessive trait, rechabite

Words related to recessive

receding, dormant, inactive, latent, suspended, regressive

Example sentences from the Web for recessive

British Dictionary definitions for recessive

recessive
/ (rɪˈsɛsɪv) /

adjective

tending to recede or go back; receding
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 geneCompare dominant (def. 4)
linguistics (of stress) tending to be placed on or near the initial syllable of a polysyllabic word

noun

genetics
  1. a recessive gene or character
  2. an organism having such a gene or character

Derived forms of recessive

recessively, adverb recessiveness, noun

Medical definitions for recessive

recessive
[ rĭ-sĕs′ĭv ]

adj.

Tending to go backward or recede.
Of, relating to, or being an allele that does not produce a characteristic effect when present with a dominant allele.
Of, relating to, or being a trait expressed only when the determining allele is present in the homozygous condition.

n.

A recessive allele or trait.
An organism having a recessive trait.

Scientific definitions for recessive

recessive
[ rĭ-sĕs′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.