genome

noun

ge·​nome ˈjē-ˌnōm 

: one haploid set of chromosomes with the genes they contain

broadly : the genetic material of an organism compare proteome

Examples of genome in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The genomes carried evidence of Neanderthal ancestry. —Katie Hunt, CNN, 13 Dec. 2024

In September 2024, an international team sequenced the shark’s very large genome—a genetic code of 6.5 billion base pairs, twice as long as the human genome. —Brian Handwerk, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 Dec. 2024

In the event that nothing germinates, DNA from the seeds has already been collected and the genome sequenced. —Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 20 Nov. 2024

The more scientists explore the human genome, the more complex its connections to health appear. —Kristen V. Brown, The Atlantic, 20 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

German Genom, from Gen gene + -om (as in Chromosom chromosome)

First Known Use

1926, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing genome

• genome editing

Medical Definition

genome

noun

ge·​nome ˈjē-ˌnōm 

: one haploid set of chromosomes with the genes they contain

broadly : the genetic material of an organism

The idea behind sequencing an organism's genome—decoding, letter by letter, the message contained in every last one of its genes—is that it would tell us a lot about how the organism works.

—Lori Oliwenstein, Discover