Multigenetic

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Characterized by the involvement of multiple genes, particularly in relation to the inheritance of complex traits
2. referring to traits or conditions that arise from contributions of various genetic factors rather than a single gene
3. denoting any biological phenomenon or characteristic that is influenced by several genes acting together in a polygenic manner

Etymology: "Multigenetic" is a plain compound: the prefix "multi-", from Latin "multus" meaning "many", joined to "genetic", the adjective from "gene". The word's meaning follows directly from its parts, describing a trait or condition shaped by many genes working together rather than by one. The "gene" half is the more recent piece. The term "gene" was coined in 1909 by the Danish botanist Wilhelm Johannsen, who shortened the older idea of "pangene" to give biologists a neutral label for the units of heredity. "Genetic" followed as the adjective, and the prefix "multi-" was then attached to describe traits whose inheritance involves many such units at once.

Synonyms: polygenic, multifactorial, complex, multilocus, multiallelic

Antonyms: monogenic, single-gene, simple